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THE  GREAT  CHAN  OF  CATHAY  AT  TABLE 


Stories  of  Adventure 

As  told  by  Adventurers 


By 

Edward  E.  Hale 


New  edition^  re-vised,  with  illustrations 


■>     J    )        )  3       T 


Boston 

Little,  Brown,  and  Company 

1905 


/foS 


Copyright,  1881, 
By  Roberts  Brothers. 

Copyright,  190^, 

By  LiTTLfi;"  Brown;  kii^  CcAipany. 


UNIVERSITY    PRESS 
CAMBRIDGE,  U.S.A. 


PREFACE. 


This  volume,  like  the  four  others  in  the  same  series, 
was  suggested  at  the  Librarians'  Congress  in  Boston. 
It  has  been  prepared  in  the  wish  to  teach  boys 
and  giris  how  to  use  themselves  the  treasures,  now  at 
their  hands,  in  public  libraries.  The  public  spirit,  the 
munificence  often,  with  which  these  libraries  have  been 
sustained  ought  to  be  loyally  followed  up  by  the  friends 
of  young  people  by  careful  effort  to  give  them  good 
habits  in  finding  and  enjoying  the  books  they  contain. 
It  is  not  reasonable  to  throw  on  the  librarians  the  work  of 
introducing  these  books  to  young  readers;  but  it  is  the 
duty  of  all  those  who  are  in  any  way  charged  with  the 
interests  of  education  to  show  to  such  readers  how  they 
can  choose  for  themselves. 

It  will  be  seen,  therefore,  that  my  object  is  not  to  re- 
write the  tales  of  adventure,  here  referred  to,  nor  is  it  my 
wish  to  present  them  in  such  form  as  to  satisfy  the  reader. 
Rather  I  have  hoped  that  he  may  not  be  satisfied.  I 
should  be  glad,  as  Sam  Weller  was,  to  make  him  wish  for 
more,  trusting  that  then,  like  Oliver  Twist,  he  may  go  and 
ask  for  more. 


EDWARD   E.  HALE. 


IVI95859 


CONTENTS. 


Pags 

I.  Marco  Polo 7 

II.  Sir  John  Mandeville  and  the  Crusades  31 

III.  Bertrandon  in  Palestine 45 

IV.  Geoffrey  of  Vinsauf 69 

V.  Hernando  Cortes' s  Letters 10 1 

VI.  Fra  Marco  and  Coronado 127 

VII.  The  Jesuit  Relations 141 

VIII.   Northern  Discoveries 157 

IX.  Humboldt's  Travels 184 

X.  A  Young  Man's  Voyage 220 

XI.  The  Northwest 253 

XII.  Siberia  and  Kamchatka        ......  275 

Index 311 


LIST   OF   ILLUSTRATIONS 


Page 

The  Great  Chan  of  Cathay  at  Table      .     .     .     Frontispiece 

Galley  Going  Into  Action 13 

Marco  Polo 18 

Plain  of  Cambaluc 26 

Damascus 50 

Ruins  of  the  Temples  at  Balbeck dd 

King  Henry  II  of  England 72 

Richard  Coeur-de-Lion 89 

Hernando  Cortes loi 

Cannon  of  Cortes'  Time 104 

The  Great  Temple  of  Mexico 109 

Montezuma 116 

An  Indian  Pueblo 128 

Moqui  Woman  Grinding  Corn 139 

Hearne's  Drawing  of  Prince  of  Wales  Fort,  Hudson's 

Bay 162 

Baron  Humboldt 198 


STORIES    OF    ADVENTURE. 


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MARCO  POLO. 

AVERY  bright  and  merry  set  of  boys  and  girls 
have  been  invited,  now  for  every  winter  for  some 
years,  to  spend  their  Saturday  afternoons  with  Col. 
Ingham,  at  his  house  at  Jamaica  Plain,  near  Boston.  It 
is  the  old  Lady  Oliver  house,  which  was  built  by  some 
West  Indian  grandees  before  the  Revolution, — from 
whose  windows,  indeed,  they  looked  out  to  smile  appro- 
val on  the  English  troops,  when,  in  the  spring  of  1775, 
they  made  their  one  "  military  promenade  "  out  through 
Roxbury,  and  back  through  Dorchester  into  Boston,  — 
the  only  time  they  ever  went  out  to  come  safely  back 
again. 

The  evenings  of  these  young  people  at  this  house  are 
generally  spent  in  dancing  or  in  round  games  around 
Col.  Ingham's  large  tables;  but  a  habit  has  grown 
up,  in  which,  if  they  choose,  they  may  come  as  early  as 
half-past  three  o'clock,  and  ask  Col.  Ingham  questions 
about  what  they  are  reading,  and  burrow  as  much 
as  they  choose  in  the  treasures  of  his  curious  library. 
The  "  Stories  of  the  Sea,"  which  has  its  place  in  this 
collection,  were  read  aloud  by  these  young  people  in  sue- 


8  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1880. 

cessive  visits  of  one  winter,  —  much  as  they  had  dug  out 
the  "  Stories  of  War,"  in  a  visit  they  made  to  the  colo- 
nel at  Little  Crastis,  on  the  Rhode  Island  seashore,  the 
summer  before. 

After  a  summer  and  autumn  crowded  full  with  hair- 
breadth adventure,  —  stories  of  sea,  indeed,  and  stories 
of  land,  though  fortunately  no  worse  stories  of  war  than 
Blanche's  encounter  with  a  deaf  conductor,  and  Bed- 
ford's somewhat  doubtful  encounters  with  quails  and 
partrid^S  at  Quonochojitaug,  —  the  children  gathered 
one  dark  afternoon  at  Col.  Ingham's,  with  loud  mutual 
felicitations,  and  with  a  cordial  welcome  from  him.  It 
was  raining  pitilessly  out  of  doors ;  but  rubber  boots 
and  gossamers  had  emancipated  these  girls,  and  the 
boys,  of  course,  had  to  be  out  always,  "  weather 
or  no." 

"  No  Blue  Hills  to-day,"  said  Uncle  Fritz,  laughing, 
as  Blanche  and  May  rubbed  their  little  hands  in  front 
of  his  hickory  fire. 

"  No,"  said  Blanche,  "  the  famous  Alpine  Club  itself 
surrenders  to  this  storm.  And  my  sketch,  Uncle  Fritz,  — 
what  you  called  my  grand  study  for  a  panorama,  —  will 
have  to  be  finished  with  spring  apple-blossoms  on  the 
right  hand,  to  patch  out  the  sombre  chestnuts  and  oaks 
I  had  worked  in  so  elaborately  on  the  left  hand  ;  for  we 
shall  certainly  have  no  more  alpine  clubs  this  fall." 

The  young  people  are  fond  of  calling  themselves  the 
Alpine  Club  when  they  go  to  the  Quarries  or  the  Blue 
Hills  or  Nahant  or  the  Brewsters  or  the  Middlesex  Fells 
or  the  Waverley  Oaks  or  any  of  the  other  nice  places 
within  an  easy  excursion  from  Boston. 

"  Unless,  indeed,"  said  Col.  Ingham,  "  unless  we 
get  a  sleigh-ride  some  afternoon,  and  I  send  you   up 


i88o.  MA/? CO  POLO.  9 

to  the  top  of  the  Blue  Hills  on  snow-shoes.  I  did 
not  know  how  many  of  you  might  be  here.  I  am  not 
jealous  of  Mr.  Hale ;  but  when  I  found  you  were  all 
studying  politics  over  at  his  house,  I  thought  there 
might  be  no  time  for  story-telling.  Have  you  prepared 
your  protocol  for  Russia,  Blanche  ?  '* 

Blanche  laughed.  She  said  the  more  they  read  of  one 
thing,  the  more  they  wanted  to  read  of  another ;  and 
that,  for  her  part,  she  found  no  one  of  Uncle  Fritz's 
rules  so  easy  as  that  which  bids  her 

Confess  Ignorance. 

Uncle  Fritz's  rules  for  talk  are :  — 

Tell  the  Truth. 

Do   NOT  TALK   ABOUT   YOUR   OWN   AFFAIRS. 

Confess  Ignorance. 

Talk  to  the  Person  who  talks  to  You. 

Do  not  underrate  Him. 

Be  short.  1 

All  the  boys  and  girls  agreed  with  Blanche,  as,  in- 
deed, they  are  apt  to,  for  Blanche  is  as  pleasant  as  she 
is  sensible  ;  and  here  are  two  qualities  which  do  not 
always  travel  together. 

By  this  time  almost  all  the  "  Alpine  Club  "  had  come. 
The  waterproofs  were  hung  to  drip  and  dry  in  the  back 
hall,  under  Flora  Haggerty's  care  ;  and  in  a  great  semi- 
circle the  young  people  sat  round  the  hickory  fire. 
It  was  something  about  the  "  Stories  of  the  Sea,"  which 
had  just  been  pubhshed  by  Little  &  Brown,  which 
started  them  on  travels;  and  how  they  would  like  to 
go  to  Tahiti  and  New  Zealand  and  all  the  wonderful 
places ! 

1  "  How  to  Do  It,"  pp.  29-60. 


lO  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  i88a 

Uncle  Fritz  told  them  of  some  college  friends  of  his, 
who  had  planned  landing  in  Arabia  from  Zanzibar,  and 
then  assuming  Arab  costumes,  talking  such  Arabic  as 
they  could,  and  gradually  making  their  way  through 
Asia  till  they  came  out  at  Canton,  on  the  eastern  shore. 
They  failed  in  this  great  plan  only  from  the  merest 
accident  at  the  start. 

"We  know,  to  this  hour,  curiously  little  of  Central 
Asia,"  he  said.  "There  are  regions  of  which  Marco 
Polo's  account  is  the  only  account  we  have  to  this  day  ; 
and  that  is  six  hundred  years  old." 

"  And  it  was  not  true  when  it  was  new,  was  it  ? "  asked 
Horace,  laughing. 

Uncle  Fritz  said  that  that  was  an  old  scandal.  He 
said  that  Mandeville  and  Marco  Polo  had  long  been 
called  the  princes  of  liars,  while  people  did  not  follow 
their  example  of  travel ;  but  in  our  times,  their  reputa- 
tions are  waking  up  to  light  again.  In  Marco  Polo's 
case,  he  wrote  almost  wholly  from  memory,  —  from  the 
mere  fact  that  he  wrote  long  after  his  return  from  the 
East ;  but  later  authorities  have  verified  so  much  of  his 
narrative  that  it  is  but  fair  to  believe  him  when  nothing 
can  be  proved  against  him. 

Bertha  confessed  that  she  mixed  him  up  very  badly 
with  Marco  Paul,  who  travelled  in  Mr.  Abbott's 
books. 

They  all  laughed,  because  they  knew  what  Bertha 
meant.  "  That  was  one  of  Jacob  Abbott's  quiet  jokes. 
His  books  are  wellnigh  perfect  in  everything,  and  in 
nothing  more  perfect  than  in  the  choice  of  names.  So 
he  makes  Marco  Paul  a  traveller,  on  purpose  that  we 
may  all  remember  the  prince  of  the  travellers  of  the  Mid- 
dle Ages." 


i26o.       IRVING' S  ACCOUNT  OF  MARCO  POLO  II 

Then  Col.  Ingham  sent  for  the  third  volume  of  Irving's 
"  Columbus,"  and  for  Col.  Yule's  careful  edition  of 
"Marco  Polo,"  —  a  fascinating  book,  which  should  be 
in  every  public  library.  He  told  Bedford  to  go  to  the 
bookcase  which  had  Columbus's  bust  on  top,  and  look 
till  he  found  them. 

That  is  the  case  with  the  travels  and  geographies  in 
it.  Bedford  knows  it  as  well  as  he  knows  the  book- 
shelves he  has  at  home,  which  he  made  on  his  own 
work-bench  in  the  laundry.  Col.  Ingham  told  Bedford 
he  would  find  an  account  of  Marco  Polo  in  the  Appen- 
dix j  and  Bedford  found  it,  and  read  aloud :  — 


IRVING'S  ACCOUNT  OF  MARCO  POLO. 

Marco  Polo  was  a  native  of  Venice,  who  in  the  thir- 
teenth century  made  a  journey  to  the  East,  and  filled  all 
Christendom  with  curiosity  by  his  account  of  the  coun- 
tries he  had  visited.  He  was  preceded  in  his  travels  by 
his  father  Nicholas,  and  his  uncle,  Matteo  Polo.  These 
two  brothers  were  of  an  illustrious  family  in  Venice,  and 
embarked,  in  the  year  1260,^  on  a  commercial  voyage  to 
the  East.  Having  traversed  the  Mediterranean  and  the 
strait  of  Bosphorus,  they  stopped  for  a  short  time  at 
Constantinople.  From  hence  they  proceeded  by  the 
Euxine  to  Armenia,  where  they  remained  for  a  year, 
entertained  with  great  favor  at  the  court  of  a  Tartar 
prince.  A  war  breaking  out  between  their  patron  and  a 
neighboring  potentate,  and  the  former  being  defeated, 
they  were  embarrassed  how  to  extricate  themselves  from 
the  country,  and  return  home  in  safety.     After  various 

1  So  Yule  corrects  Irving,  who  says  1250. 


12  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1271-95. 

wanderings,  they  at  length  reached  Bochara,  in  the  Gulf 
of  Persia,  where  they  resided  for  three  years.  While 
here,  there  arrived  an  ambassador  from  one  of  the  infe- 
rior Tartar  powers,  on  his  way  to  the  court  of  the  Great 
Khan.  Finding  that  the  two  brothers  were  well  ac- 
quainted with  the  Tartar  tongue,  he  prevailed  upon 
them  to  accompany  him.  After  a  march  of  several 
months,  being  delayed  by  snows  and  inundations,  they 
arrived  at  the  court  of  Cublai,  otherwise  called  the 
Great  Khan,  which  signifies  king  of  kings,  being  the 
sovereign  potentate  of  the  Tartars.  This  magnificent 
prince  received  them  with  great  distinction.  He  made 
inquiries  about  the  countries  and  princes  of  the  West, 
their  civil  and  military  government,  and  the  manners 
and  customs  of  the  Latin  nations. 

After  one  return  to  the  Levant  they  took  a  second 
journey,  and  this  time  took  Marco  Polo  with  them. 
He  was  gone  twenty-four  years.  On  their  return,  when 
they  arrived  at  Venice,  they  were  known  by  nobody. 
So  many  years  had  elapsed  since  their  departure,  with- 
out any  tidings  of  them,  that  they  were  either  forgotten 
or  considered  dead. 

They  repaired  to  their  own  house,  which  was  a  noble 
palace,  afterwards  known  by  the  name  of  la  Corte  de  la 
Milione.  They  found  several  of  their  relatives  still 
inhabiting  it ;  but  they  were  slow  in  recollecting  the 
travellers,  not  knowing  of  their  wealth,  and  probably 
considering  them  poor  adventurers,  returned  to  be  a 
charge  upon  their  families.  The  Polos,  however,  took 
an  effectual  mode  of  quickening  the  memories  of  their 
friends,  and  ensuring  themselves  a  loving  reception. 
They  invited  them  all  to  a  grand  banquet.     The  guests 


r  c  c  <  < 


c  c  c 


1295-98.  MARCO  POLO'S   TREASURE,  1 3 

were  lost  in  astonishment,  and  could  not  comprehend 
the  meaning  of  this  masquerade,  when,  having  dis- 
missed all  the  attendants,  Marco  Polo  brought  forth 
the  coarse  Tartar  dresses  in  which  they  had  arrived. 
Slashing  them  in  several  places  with  a  knife,  and  ripping 
open  the  seams  and  linings,  there  tumbled  forth  a  vast 
quantity  of  precious  jewels,  such  as  rubies,  sapphires, 
emeralds,  and  diamonds.  The  whole  table  glittered 
with  inestimable  wealth,  which  they  had  acquired  from 
the  munificence  of  the  Grand  Khan,  and  which  they 
had  conveyed  in  this  portable  form  through  the  perils 
of  their  long  journey. 

The  company,  observes  Ramusio,  were  out  of  their 
wits  with  amazement,  and  now  clearly  perceived  what 
they  had  at  first  doubted,  that  these  in  very  truth  were 
those  honored  and  valiant  gentlemen,  the  Polos,  and 
accordingly  paid  them  great  respect  and  reverence. 

Some  months  after  their  return,  Lampo  Doria,  com- 
mander of  the  Genoese  navy,  appeared  in  the  vicinity  of 
the  island  of  Cuzzola,  with  seventy  galleys.  Andrea 
Dandolo,  the  Venetian  admiral,  was  sent  against  him. 
Marco  Polo  commanded  a  galley  of  the  fleet.  His 
usual  good  fortune  deserted  him.  Advancing  the  first 
in  the  line  with  his  galley,  and  not  being  properly  sec- 
onded, he  was  taken  prisoner,  and  thrown  in  irons, 
and  carried  to  Genoa.  Here  he  was  detained  for  a  long 
time  in  prison,  and  all  offers  of  ransom  rejected.  His 
imprisonment  gave  great  uneasiness  to  his  father  and 
uncle,  fearing  that  he  might  never  return.  Seeing  them- 
selves in  this  unhappy  state,  with  so  much  treasure,  and 
no  heirs,  they  consulted  together.  They  were  both  very 
old  men  ;  but  Nicolo,  observes  Ramusio,  was  of  a  gal- 


14  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  129a 

Hard  complexion.     It  was  determined  he  should  take  a 
wife,  and  he  did  so. 

In  the  meanwhile,  the  fame  of  Marco  Polo's  travels 
had  circulated  in  Genoa.  His  prison  was  daily  crowded 
with  the  nobility,  and  he  was  supplied  with  everything 
that  could  cheer  him  in  his  confinement.  A  Genoese 
gentleman,  who  visited  him  every  day,  at  length  prevailed 
on  him  to  write  an  account  of  what  he  had  seen.  He 
had  his  papers  and  journals  sent  to  him  from  Venice, 
and  with  the  assistance  of  his  friend  produced  the 
book  which  afterwards  made  such  noise  throughout  the 
world. 

"  So,  you  see,"  said  Uncle  Fritz,  "  that  the  poor  rich 
man  wrote  in  prison,  far  away  from  home,  and  with  such 
journals  and  notes  as  had  escaped  wars,  shipwrecks,  and 
travel." 

Bedford  and  two  of  the  girls  seized  on  one  volume  of 
Col.  Yule's  book,  —  which  is  a  good  edition  of  "  Marco 
Polo,"  —  and  Laura  and  two  of  the  boys  seized  on  an- 
other. There  are  very  amusing  and  instructive  pictures  ; 
and  the  young  people  were  delighted  as  they  turned 
from  chapter  to  chapter.  Meanwhile,  Uncle  Fritz  was 
questioning  the  others  about  their  summer  travels ;  and 
all  the  talk  was  running  on  adventure. 

"  This  is  a  very  good  day  for  *  Marco  Polo,' "  said  he  ; 
"  for  what  with  Oregon,  and  Colorado  Springs,  and  the 
Saguenay  River,  you  have  travelled  about  as  far  this 
summer  as  the  Venetian  gentlemen  did  in  all  those 
years.  Bedford,  have  you  found  nothing  you  can  read 
to  us  ? " 

And,  after  a  minute's  conference,  Bedford  selected 
and  read  — 


1298.  MARK  SENT  ON  AN  EMBASSY.  1 5 


IxOW  THE  EMPEROR  SENT  MARK  ON  AN  EMBASSY. 

Now  it  came  to  pass  that  Marco,  the  son  of  Messef 
Nicolo,  sped  wondrously  in  learning  the  customs  of  the 
Tartars  as  well  as  their  language,  their  manner  of  writ- 
ing, and  their  practice  of  war,  —  in  fact,  he  came  in  brief 
space  to  know  several  languages,  and  four  sundry  writ- 
ten characters;  and  he  was  discreet  and  prudent  in 
every  way,  insomuch  that  the  emperor  held  him  in  great 
esteem.  And  so,  when  he  discerned  Mark  to  have  so 
much  sense,  and  to  conduct  himself  so  well  and  beseem- 
ingly,  he  sent  him  on  an  ambassage  of  his  to  a  country 
which  was  a  good  six  months'  journey  distant.  The 
young  gallant  executed  his  commission  well,  and  with 
discretion.  Now,  he  had  taken  note  on  several  occasions 
that,  when  the  prince's  ambassadors  returned  from  differ- 
ent parts  of  the  world,  they  were  able  to  tell  him  about 
nothing  except  the  business  on  which  they  had  gone ; 
and  the  prince,  in  consequence,  held  them  for  no  better 
than  fools  and  dolts,  and  would  say,  "  I  had  far  liever 
hearken  about  the  strange  things  and  the  manners  of 
the  different  countries  you  have  seen  than  merely  be 
told  of  the  business  you  went  upon,"  —  for  he  took  great 
delight  in  hearing  of  the  affairs  of  strange  countries. 
Mark,  therefore,  as  he  went  and  returned,  took  great 
pains  to  learn  about  all  kinds  of  different  matters  in  the 
countries  which  he  visited,  in  order  to  be  able  to  tell 
about  them  to  the  Great  Kaan. 

When  Mark  returned  from  his  ambassage,  he  pre- 
sented himself  before  the  emperor ;  and,  after  making 
his  report  of  the  business  with  which  he  was  charged, 
and  its  successful  accomplishment,  he  went  on  to  give 


1 6  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1271-95. 

an  account,  in  a  pleasant  and  intelligent  manner,  of  all 
the  novelties  and  strange  things  that  he  had  seen  and 
heard,  insomuch  that  the  emperor  and  all  such  as  heard 
his  story  were  surprised,  and  said,  "  If  this  young  man 
live,  he  will  assuredly  come  to  be  a  person  of  great 
worth  and  ability."  And  so,  from  that  time  forward,  he 
was  always  entitled  Messer  Marco  Polo  ;  and  thus  we 
shall  style  him  henceforth  in  this  book  of  ours,  as  is 
but  right. 

Then  Bedford  turned  over  to  a  place  where  Mary  Long 
had  put  in  a  mark,  and  read  — 

OF  THE  GREAT  COUNTRY  OF  PERSIA,  WITH  SOME 
ACCOUNT  OF  THE  THREE  KINGS. 

Persia  is  a  great  country,  which  was  in  old  times  very 
illustrious  and  powerful ;  but  now  the  Tartars  have 
wasted  and  destroyed  it.  In  Persia  is  the  city  of  Saba, 
from  which  the  three  magi  set  out,  when  they  went  to 
worship  Jesus  Christ ;  and  in  this  city  they  are  buried, 
in  three  very  large  and  beautiful  monuments,  side  by  side. 
Aind  above  them  there  is  a  square  building  carefully 
kept.  The  bodies  are  still  entire,  with  the  hair  and  beard 
remaining.  One  of  these  was  called  Jasper,  the  second 
Melchoir,  and  the  third  Balthasar.  Messer  Marco  Polo 
asked  a  great  many  questions  of  the  people  of  that  city 
as  to  those  three  magi ;  but  never  one  could  he  find  that 
knew  aught  of  the  matter,  except  that  these  were  three 
kings,  who  were  buried  there  in  days  of  old.  However, 
at  a  place  three  days*  journey  distant,  he  heard  of  what 
I  am  going  to  tell  you.  He  found  a  village  there  which 
goes  by  the  name  of  Cala  Ataperistan,  which  is  as  much 


1271-95-     PERSIA   AND   THE   THREE  KINGS.  1 7 

as  to  say,  "  The  Castle  of  the  Fire-worshippers  "  ;  and 
the  name  is  rightly  applied,  for  the  people  there  do  wor- 
ship fire,  and  I  will  tell  you  why.  They  relate  that,  in 
old  times,  three  kings  of  that  country  went  away  to  wor- 
ship a  prophet  that  was  born ;  and  they  carried  with 
them  three  manner  of  offerings,  —  gold  and  frankin- 
cense and  myrrh,  —  in  order  to  ascertain  whether  that 
prophet  were  God  or  an  earthly  king  or  a  physician. 
"  For,"  said  they,  "  if  he  take  the  gold,  then  he  is  an 
earthly  king ;  if  he  take  the  incense,  he  is  God ;  if  he 
take  the  myrrh,  he  is  a  physician."  So  it  came  to 
pass,  when  they  had  come  to  the  place  where  the  Child 
was  born,  the  youngest  of  the  three  kings  went  in  first, 
and  found  the  Child  apparently  just  of  his  own  age ;  so 
he  went  forth  again,  marvelling  greatly.  The  middle  one 
entered  next,  and,  like  the  first,  he  found  the  Child  seem- 
ingly of  his  own  age  ;  so  he  also  went  forth  again,  and 
marvelled  greatly.  Lastly,  the  eldest  went  in,  and  as  it 
had  befallen  the  other  two,  so  it  befel  him ;  and  he  went 
forth  very  pensive. 

And  when  the  three  had  rejoined  one  another,  each 
told  what  he  had  seen  ;  and  then  they  all  marvelled  the 
more.  So  they  all  agreed  to  go  in  all  three  together ; 
and  on  doing  so,  they  beheld  the  Child  with  the  appear- 
ance of  its  actual  age,  —  to  wit,  some  thirteen  days. 
Then  they  adored,  and  presented  their  gold  and  incense 
and  myrrh ;  and  the  Child  took  all  the  three  offerings, 
and  then  gave  them  a  small  closed  box  :  whereupon  the 
kings  departed  to  return  into  their  own  land. 

And  when  they  had  ridden  many  days  they  said 
they  would  see  what  the  Child  had  given  them.  So 
they  opened  the  little  box ;  and  inside  it  they  found  a 
stone.     On  seeing  this  they  began  to  wonder  what  this 


1 8  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1271-95. 

might  be  that  the  Child  had  given  them,  and  what  was 
the  import  thereof.  Now  the  signification  was  this: 
when  they  presented  their  offerings,  the  Child  accepted 
all  three ;  and  when  they  saw  that,  they  had  said  within 
themselves  that  he  was  the  True  God,  and  the  True 
King,  and  the  True  Physician.  And  what  the  gift  of 
the  stone  implied  was  that  this  Faith  which  had  begun 
in  them  should  abide  firm  as  a  rock.  For  he  well  knew 
what  was  in  their  thoughts.  Howbeit  they  had  no  un- 
derstanding at  all  of  this  signification  of  the  gift  of  the 
stone,  so  they  cast  it  into  a  well.  Then  straightway  a 
fire  from  heaven  descended  into  that  well  wherein  the 
stone  had  been  cast.  And  when  the  Three  Kings  be- 
held this  marvel  they  were  sore  amazed,  and  it  greatly 
repented  them  that  they  had  cast  away  the  stone ;  for 
well  they  then  perceived  that  it  had  a  great  and  holy 
meaning.  So  they  took  of  that  fire,  and  carried  it  into 
their  own  country,  and  placed  it  in  a  rich  and  beautiful 
church.  And  there  the  people  keep  it  continually  burn- 
ing, and  worship  it  as  a  god  ;  and  all  the  sacrifices  they 
offer  are  kindled  with  that  fire.  And  if  ever  the  fire 
becomes  extinct  they  go  to  other  cities  round  about, 
where  the  same  faith  is  held,  and  obtain  of  that  fire 
from  them,  and  carry  it  to  the  church.  And  this  is  the 
reason  why  the  people  of  this  country  worship  fire. 
They  will  often  go  ten  days'  journey  to  get  of  that 
fire. 

The  children  were  highly  edified  by  finding  this  echo 
of  the  story  of  the  wise  men  of  the  Bible,  brought  from 
the  East,  and  asked  Uncle  Fritz  if  they  might  believe  it, 
ever  so  little.  He  told  them  that,  till  Mahomet's  time, 
all  these  countries  were  more  or  less  under   the   rule 


MARCO  POLO 


t  k  c  c       c     c 

•      •    •  •    CO    c 

c    •     c  • c«    c 

«  e      *  c  e   c    < 


c  c  c 
c  c 
c     o    c  •  V   • 


1286.  HOW  NAYAN  WAS  BEATEN.  1 9 

of  Christian  faith,  though  it  were  but  limp  faith,  and 
stupid.  It  was  quite  possible  that  Messer  Marco  Polo 
might  have  found  some  legends  there  which  he  repeated 
here. 

"But  I  think,"  said  Uncle  Fritz,  "that  if  you  are  go- 
ing to  dip,  before  reading,  you  had  better  begin  on 
Cublay  Khan  himself." 

"  Cublay  Khan  !  "  cried  Fergus.  "  Are  we  to  hear 
about  Cublay  Khan  ?  " 

"  Why,  what  do  you  know  about  Cublay  Khan  ? " 
cried  Mary  Long. 

"  Do  you  not  remember,  —  *  Mustapha,  Rubadub,  Cu- 
blay Khan '  ? " 

"  I  do  not  think  you  say  it  right.  But  hush  !  Horace 
is  going  to  begin." 

So  Horace  began  :  — 

HOW  NAYAN  WAS  BEATEN. 

Now  am  I  come  to  that  part  of  our  book  in  which  I 
shall  tell  you  of  the  great  and  wonderful  magnificence 
of  the  Great  Kaan  now  reigning,  by  name  Cublay 
Kaan,  —  Kaan  being  a  title  which  signifieth  "  the  Great 
Lord  of  Lords,"  or  Emperor.  And  of  a  surety  he  hath 
good  right  to  such  a  title ;  for  all  men  know  for  a  cer- 
tain truth  that  he  is  the  most  potent  man,  as  regards 
forces  and  lands  and  treasure,  that  existeth  in  the  world, 
or  ever  hath  existed,  from  the  time  of  our  First  Father, 
Adam,  until  this  day. 

"That  was  probably  true,"  interrupted  Col.  Ing- 
ham. 

All  this  I  will  make  clear  to  you  for  truth,  in  this  book 
of  ours,  so  that  every  one  shall  be  fain  to  acknowledge 


20  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  I28d 

that  lie  is  the  greatest  lord  that  is  now  in  the  world,  or 
ever  hath  been.  And  now,  ye  shall  hear  how  and 
wherefore. 

There  was  a  great  Tartar  chief,  whose  name  was  Nayan, 
a  young  man  of  thirty,  lord  over  many  lands  and  many 
provinces  ;  and  he  was  uncle  to  the  Emperor  Cublay 
Kaan,  of  whom  we  are  speaking.  And  when  he  found 
himself  in  authority,  this  Nayan  waxed  proud  in  the  in- 
solence of  his  youth  and  his  great  power ;  for  indeed  he 
could  bring  into  the  field  three  hundred  thousand  horse- 
men, though  all  the  time  he  was  liegeman  to  his  nephew, 
the  Great  Kaan  Cublay,  as  was  right  and  reason.  Seeing, 
then,  what  great  power  he  had,  he  took  it  into  his  head 
that  he  would  be  the  Great  Kaan's  vassal  no  longer :  nay, 
more,  he  would  fain  wrest  his  empire  from  him,  if  he 
could.  So  this  Nayan  sent  envoys  to  another  Tartar 
prince,  called  Caidu,  also  a  great  and  potent  lord,  who 
was  a  kinsman  of  his,  and  who  was  a  nephew  of  the 
Great  Kaan,  and  his  lawful  liegeman  also,  though  he  was 
in  rebellion,  and  at  bitter  enmity  with  his  sovereign  lord 
and  uncle.  Now,  the  message  that  Nayan  sent  was  this  : 
that  he  himself  was  making  ready  to  march  against  the 
Great  Kaan  with  all  his  forces,  which  were  great,  and  he 
begged  Caidu  to  do  likewise  from  his  side,  so  that  by 
attacking  Cublay  on  two  sides  at  once  with  such  great 
forces  they  would  be  able  to  wrest  his  dominion  from 
him.  And  when  Caidu  heard  the  message  of  Nayan, 
he  was  right  glad  thereat,  and  thought  the  time  was 
come  at  last  to  gain  his  object ;  so  he  sent  back  an- 
swer that  he  would  do  as  requested,  and  got  ready  his 
host,  which  mustered  a  good  hundred  thousand  horse- 
men. 


1286.  HOW  NAYAN  WAS  BEATEN.  21 

Now,  let  us  go  back  to  the  Great  Kaan,  who  had  news 
of  all  this  plot. 

When  the  Great  Kaan  heard  what  was  afoot,  he 
made  his  preparations  in  right  good  heart,  like  one  who 
feared  not  the  issue  of  an  attempt  so  contrary  to  justice. 
Confident  in  his  own  conduct  and  prowess,  he  was  in 
no  degree  disturbed,  but  vowed  that  he  would  never 
wear  crown  again  if  he  brought  not  those  two  traitorous 
and  disloyal  Tartar  chiefs  to  an  ill  end.  So  swiftly  and 
secretly  were  his  preparations  made  that  no  one  knew  of 
them  but  his  privy  council,  and  all  were  completed 
within  ten  or  twelve  days.  In  that  time  he  had  assembled 
good  three  hundred  and  sixty  thousand  horsemen  and 
one  hundred  thousand  footmen,  —  but  a  small  force,  in- 
deed, for  him,  and  consisting  only  of  those  that  were  in 
the  vicinity ;  for  the  rest  of  his  vast  and  innumerable 
forces  were  too  far  of?  to  answer  so  hasty  a  sum- 
mons, being  engaged  under  orders  from  him  on  dis- 
tant expeditions  to  conquer  divers  countries  and 
provinces.  If  he  had  waited  to  summon  all  his  troops, 
the  multitude  assembled  would  have  been  beyond  all 
belief;  a  multitude  such  as  never  was  heard  of,  or 
told  of,  past  all  counting!  In  fact,  those  three  hun- 
dred and  sixty  thousand  horsemen  that  he  got  to- 
gether consisted  merely  of  the  falconers  and  whippers-in 
that  were  about  the  court !  And  when  he  got  ready  this 
handful,  as  it  were,  of  his  troops,  he  ordered  his  as- 
trologers to  declare  whether  he  should  gain  the  battle, 
and  get  the  better  of  his  enemies.  After  they  had  made 
their  observations  they  told  him  to  go  on  boldly,  for  he 
would  conquer  and  gain  a  glorious  victory ;  whereat  he 
greatly  rejoiced.  So  he  marched  with  his  army ;  and  after 
advancing  for  twenty  days  they  arrived  at  a  great  plain, 


22  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1286. 

where  Nayan  lay  with  all  his  host,  amounting  to  some 
four  hundred  thousand  horse.  Now,  the  Great  Kaan's 
forces  arrived  so  fast  and  so  suddenly  that  the  others 
knew  nothing  of  the  matter ;  for  the  Kaan  had  caused 
such  strict  watch  to  be  made  in  every  direction  for 
scouts  that  every  one  that  appeared  was  instantly  cap- 
tured. Thus  Nayan  had  no  warning  of  his  coming,  and 
was  completely  taken  by  surprise,  insomuch  that,  when 
the  Great  Kaan's  army  came  up,  he  was  asleep  ;  so  thus 
you  see  why  it  was  that  the  emperor  equipped  his  force 
with  such  speed  and  secrecy.  Of  the  battle  which  the 
Great  Kaan  fought  with  Nayan,  what  shall  I  say 
about  it? 

When  day  had  well  broken,  there  was  the  Kaan,  with 
all  his  host,  upon  a  hill  overlooking  the  plain  where 
Nayan  lay  in  his  tent,  in  all  security,  without  the  slight- 
est thought  of  any  one  coming  thither  to  do  him  hurt. 
In  fact,  this  confidence  of  his  was  such  that  he  kept  no 
videttes,  whether  in  front  or  in  rear ;  for  he  knew  nothing 
of  the  coming  of  the  Great  Kaan,  owing  to  all  the  ap- 
proaches having  been  completely  occupied,  as  I  told  you. 
Moreover,  the  place  was  in  a  remote  wilderness,  more 
than  thirty  marches  from  the  court,  —  though  the  Kaan 
had  made  the  distance  in  twenty,  so  eager  was  he  to  come 
to  battle  with  Nayan.  And  what  shall  I  tell  you  next  ? 
The  Kaan  was  there  on  the  hill,  mounted  on  a  great 
wooden  bartizan,  which  was  borne  by  four  well-trained 
elephants  ;  and  over  him  was  hoisted  his  standard,  so  high 
aloft  that  it  could  be  seen  from  all  sides.  His  troops 
were  ordered  in  battles  of  thirty  thousand  men  apiece, 
and  a  great  part  of  the  horsemen  had  each  a  foot-soldier, 
armed  with  a  lance,  set  on  the  crupper  behind  him  (for 
it  was  thus  that  the  footmen  were  disposed  of) ;  and  the 


1286.  VICTORY  OF  THE   GREAT  KAAN.  23 

whole  plain  seemed  to  be  covered  with  his  forces.  So  it 
was  thus  that  the  Great  Kaan's  army  was  arrayed  for  bat- 
tle. When  Nayan  and  his  people  saw  what  had  happened, 
they  were  sorely  confounded,  and  rushed  in  haste  to  arms. 
Nevertheless,  they  made  them  ready  in  good  style,  and 
formed  their  troops  in  an  orderly  manner.  And  when 
all  were  in  battle  array  on  both  sides,  as  I  have  told  you, 
and  nothing  remained  but  to  fall  to  blows,  then  might 
you  have  heard  a  sound  arise  of  many  instruments  of 
various  music,  and  of  the  voices  of  the  whole  of  the  two 
hosts  loudly  singing. 

For  this  is  a  custom  of  the  Tartars,  that  before  they 
join  battle  they  all  unite  in  singing  and  playing  on  a 
certain  two-stringed  instrument  of  theirs,  a  thing  right 
pleasant  to  hear,  and  so  they  continue  in  their  array  of 
battle,  singing  and  playing  in  this  pleasing  manner,  until 
the  great  Naccara  of  the  prince  is  heard  to  sound.  As 
soon  as  that  begins  to  sound  the  fight  also  begins  on 
both  sides ;  and  in  no  case  before  the  prince's  Naccara 
sounds  dare  any  commence  fighting. 

So,  then,  as  they  were  thus  singing  and  playing,  though 
ordered  and  ready  for  battle,  the  great  Naccara  of  the 
Great  Kaan  began  to  sound,  and  that  of  Nayan  also  began 
to  sound,  and  thenceforward  the  din  of  battle  began  to  be 
heard  loudly  from  this  side  and  from  that,  and  they  rushed 
to  work  so  doughtily  with  their  bows  and  their  maces,  with 
their  lances  and  swords,  and  with  the  arblests  of  the 
footmen,  that  it  was  a  wondrous  sight  to  see.  Now 
might  you  behold  such  flights  of  arrows  from  this  side 
and  from  that,  that  the  whole  heaven  was  canopied  with 
them,  and  they  fell  like  rain.  Now  might  you  see  on 
this  side  and  on  that  full  many  a  cavalier  and  man-at- 
arms  fall  slain,  insomuch  that  the  whole  field  seemed 


24  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1286. 

covered  wjth  them.  From  this  side  and  from  that  such 
cries  arose  from  the  crowds  of  the  wounded  and  dying 
that  had  God  thundered  you  would  not  have  heard 
Him.  For  fierce  and  furious  was  the  battle,  and  quarter 
there  was  none  given ;  but  why  should  I  make  a  long 
story  of  it .''  You  must  know  that  it  was  the  most  parlous 
and  fierce  and  fearful  battle  that  has  ever  been  fought 
in  our  day.  Nor  have  there  ever  been  such  forces  in 
the  field  in  actual  fight,  especially  of  horsemen,  as  were 
then  engaged ;  for,  taking  both  sides,  there  were  not 
fewer  than  seven  hundred  and  sixty  thousand  horse- 
men, —  a  mighty  force !  —  and  that  without  reckoning 
the  footmen,  who  were  also  very  numerous.  The 
battle  endured  with  various  fortune  on  this  side  and 
on  that  from  morning  till  noon ;  but  at  last,  by  God's 
pleasure  and  the  right  that  was  on  his  side,  the  Great 
Kaan  had  the  victory,  and  Nayan  lost  the  battle  and 
was  utterly  routed.  For  the  army  of  the  Great  Kaan 
performed  such  feats  of  arms  that  Nayan  and  his  host 
could  stand  against  them  no  longer,  so  they  turned 
and  fled ;  but  this  availed  nothing  for  Nayan,  for  he 
and  all  the  barons  with  him  were  taken  prisoners  and 
had  to  surrender  to  the  Kaan  with  all  their  arms. 

Now  you  must  know  that  Nayan  was  a  baptized  Chris- 
tian, and  bore  the  Cross  on  his  banner,  but  this  nought 
availed  him,  seeing  how  grievously  he  had  done  amiss 
in  rebelling  against  his  lord.  For  he  was  the  Great 
Kaan's  liegeman,  and  was  bound  to  hold  his  lands  of 
him  like  all  his  ancestors  before  him. 

The  scale  of  this  fighting  satisfied  even  Bedford,  who 
IS  notorious  for  his  passion  for  a  good  fight.  Uncle 
Fritz  told  them  that  if  they  would  look  further  they 


1 286.  THE   CHRISTIANS'   CROSS.  2$ 

would  see  that  military  rockets  were  used  in  this  battle,  or 
something  which  resembled  rockets  more  than  cannon. 

While  they  were  talking,  Horace  and  Fred  looked 
further,  and  when  there  was  a  lull  read  — 

And  after  the  Great  Kaan  had  conquered  Nayan,  as 
you  have  heard,  it  came  to  pass  that  the  different  kinds 
of  people  who  were  present,  Saracens  and  idolaters  and 
Jews,  and  many  others  that  believed  not  in  God,  did 
gibe  those  that  were  Christians  because  of  the  Cross 
that  Nayan  had  borne  on  his  standard,  and  that  so 
grievously  that  there  was  no  bearing  it.  Thus  they 
would  say  to  the  Christians :  "  See  now  what  precious 
help  this  God's  Cross  of  yours  hath  rendered  Nayan, 
who  was  a  Christian  and  a  worshipper  thereof."  And 
such  a  din  arose  about  the  matter  that  it  reached  the 
Great  Kaan's  own  ears.  When  it  did  so,  he  sharply 
rebuked  those  who  cast  these  gibes  at  the  Christians, 
and  he  also  bade  the  Christians  be  of  good  heart,  "  for 
if  the  Cross  had  rendered  no  help  to  Nayan,  in  that  It 
had  done  right  well,  nor  could  that  which  was  good,  as 
It  was,  have  done  otherwise ;  for  Nayan  was  a  disloyal 
and  traitorous  rebel  against  his  lord,  and  well  deserved 
that  which  had  befallen  him.  Wherefore  the  Cross  of 
your  God  did  well  in  that  It  gave  him  no  help  against 
the  right."  And  this  he  said  so  loud  that  everybody 
heard  him.  The  Christians  then  replied  to  the  Great 
Kaan  :  "  Great  King,  you  say  the  truth  indeed,  for  our 
Cross  can  render  no  one  help  in  wrong-doing,  and  there- 
fore it  was  that  It  aided  not  Nayan,  who  was  guilty  of 
crime  and  disloyalty,  for  It  would  take  no  part  in  his 
evil  deeds."  And  so  thenceforward  no  more  was  heard 
of  the  floutings  of  the  unbelievers  against  the  Christians ; 


26  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1286. 

for  they  heard  very  well  what  the  sovereign  said  to  the 
latter  about  the  Cross  on  Nayan's  banner,  and  Its  giving 
him  no  help. 

POST  HOUSES. 

Now  you  must  know  that  from  this  city  of  Cambaluc 
proceed  many  roads  and  highways  leading  to  a  variety 
of  provinces,  one  to  one  province,  another  to  another, 
and  each  road  receives  the  name  of  the  province  to 
which  it  leads ;  and  it  is  a  very  sensible  plan,  and  the 
messengers  of  the  emperor  in  travelling  from  Cambaluc, 
be  the  road  whichsoever  they  will,  find  at  every  twenty- 
five  miles  of  the  journey  a  station  which  they  call 
"  Yamb,"  or,  as  we  should  say,  the  "Horse-Post-House." 
And  at  each  of  those  stations  used  by  the  messengers 
there  is  a  large  and  handsome  building  for  them  to  put 
up  at,  in  which  they  find  all  the  rooms  furnished  with 
fine  beds  and  all  other  necessary  articles  in  rich  silk, 
and  where  they  are  provided  with  everything  they  can 
want.  If  even  a  king  were  to  arrive  at  one  of  these 
he  would  find  himself  well  lodged. 

At  some  of  these  stations,  moreover,  there  shall  be 
posted  some  four  hundred  horses  standing  ready  for  the 
use  of  the  messengers ;  at  others  there  shall  be  two  hun- 
dred, according  to  the  requirements,  and  to  what  the  em- 
peror has  established  in  each  case.  At  every^  twenty-five 
miles,  as  I  said,  or  anyhow  at  every  thirty  miles,  you  find 
one  of  these  stations  on  all  the  principal  highways  leading 
to  the  different  provincial  governments,  and  the  same  is 
the  case  throughout  all  the  chief  provinces  subject  to 
the  Great  Kaan  ;  even  when  the  messengers  have  to  pass 
through  a  roadless  tract  where  neither  house  nor  hostel 
exists,  still  there  the  station-houses  have  been  estab- 


1286.  POST  HOUSES.  27 

lished  just  the  same,  excepting  that  the  intervals  are 
somewhat  greater,  and  the  day's  journey  is  fixed  at 
thirty-five  to  forty-five  miles,  instead  of  twenty-five  to 
thirty.  But  they  are  provided  with  horses  and  all  the 
other  necessaries  just  like  those  we  have  described,  so 
that  the  emperor's  messengers,  come  they  from  what 
region  they  may,  find  everything  ready  for  them. 

And  in  sooth  this  is  a  thing  done  on  the  greatest  scale 
of  magnificence  that  ever  was  seen.  Never  had  emperor, 
king,  or  lord  such  wealth  as  this  manifests  !  For  it  is  a 
fact  that  on  all  these  posts  taken  together  there  are 
more  than  three  hundred  thousand  horses  kept  up 
specially  for  the  use  of  the  messengers.  And  the  great 
buildings  that  I  have  mentioned  are  more  than  ten 
thousand  in  number,  all  richly  furnished  as  I  told  you. 
The  thing  is  on  a  scale  so  wonderful  and  costly  that  it 
is  hard  to  bring  one's  self  to  describe  it. 

But  now  I  will  tell  you  another  thing  that  I  had  forgot- 
ten, but  which  ought  to  be  told  whilst  I  am  on  this  subject. 
You  must  know  that  by  the  Great  Kaan's  orders  there  has 
been  established  between  those  post-houses,  at  every  in- 
terval of  three  miles,  a  little  fort,  with  some  forty  houses 
round  about  it,  in  which  dwell  the  people  who  act  as  the 
emperor's  foot-runners.  Every  one  of  those  runners  wears 
a  great  wide  belt,  set  all  over  with  bells,  so  that  as  they 
run  the  three  miles  from  post  to  post  their  bells  are 
heard  jingling  a  long  way  off.  And  thus  on  reaching 
the  post  the  runner  finds  another  man  similarly  equipt, 
and  all  ready  to  take  his  place,  who  instantly  takes  over 
whatsoever  he  has  in  charge,  and  with  it  receives  a  slip 
of  paper  from  the  clerk,  who  is  always  at  hand  for  the 
purpose  ;  and  so  the  new  man  sets  off  and  runs  his  three 
miles.     At  the  next  station  he  finds  his  relief  ready  in 


2S  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1286. 

like  manner;  and  so  the  post  proceeds,  with  a  change  at 
every  three  miles.  And  in  this  way  the  emperor,  who 
has  an  immense  number  of  these  runners,  receives 
despatches  with  news  from  places  ten  days'  journey  off 
in  one  day  and  night ;  or,  if  need  be,  news  from  a  hun- 
dred days  off  in  ten  days  and  nights,  and  that  is  no 
small  matter !  In  fact,  in  the  fruit  season,  many  a  time 
fruit  shall  be  gathered  one  morning  in  Cambaluc,  and 
the  evening  of  the  next  day  it  shall  reach  the  Great 
Kaan  at  Chandu,  a  distance  of  ten  days'  journey. 

The  clerk  at  each  of  the  posts  notes  the  time  of 
each  courier's  arrival  and  departure ;  and  there  are  often 
other  officers,  whose  business  it  is  to  make  monthly  visi- 
tations of  all  the  posts,  and  to  punish  those  runners 
who  have  been  slack  in  their  work.  The  emperor 
exempts  these  men  from  all  tribute,  and  pays  them 
beside. 

Moreover,  there  are  also  at  those  stations  other  men, 
equipt  similarly  with  girdles  hung  with  bells,  who  are 
employed  for  expresses  when  there  is  a  call  for  great 
haste  in  sending  despatches  to  any  governor  of  a  prov- 
ince, or  to  give  news  when  any  baron  has  revolted,  or 
in  other  such  emergencies ;  and  these  men  travel  a 
good  two  hundred  or  two  hundred  and  fifty  miles  in 
the  day,  and  as  much  in  the  night.  I  '11  tell  you  how  it 
stands.  They  take  a  horse  from  those  at  the  station, 
which  are  standing  ready  saddled,  all  fresh  and  in  wind, 
and  mount  and  go  at  full  speed,  as  hard  as  they  can 
ride,  in  fact.  And  when  those  at  the  next  post  hear 
the  bells,  they  get  ready  another  horse  and  a  man 
equipt  in  the  same  way,  and  he  takes  over  the  letter  or 
whatever  it  be,  and  is  off  full  speed  to  the  third  station, 
where  again  a  fresh  horse  is  found  all  ready,  and  so  the 


1286.  POST  HOUSES.  29- 

despatch  speeds  along  from  post  to  post,  always  at  full 
gallop,  with  regular  change  of  horses.  And  the  speed 
at  which  they  go  is  marvellous.  By  night,  however, 
they  cannot  go  so  fast  as  by  day,  because  they  have  to 
be  accompanied  by  fbotmen  with  torches,  who  could  not 
keep  up  with  them  at  full  speed. 

Those  men  are  highly  prized  j  and  they  could  never 
do  it  did  they  not  bind  hard  the  stomach,  chest,  and 
head  with  strong  bands.  And  each  of  them  carries  with 
him  a  gerfalcon  tablet,  in  sign  that  he  is  bound  on  an 
urgent  express;  so  that  if  perchance  his  horse  break 
down,  or  he  meet  with  other  mishap,  whomsoever  he 
may  fall  in  with  on  the  road,  he  is  empowered  to  make 
him  dismount  and  give  up  his  horse.  Nobody  dares 
refuse  in  such  a  case ;  so  that  the  courier  hath  always 
a  good  fresh  nag  to  carry  him. 

Now  all  these  numbers  of  post-horses  cost  the  emper- 
or nothing  at  all ;  and  I  will  tell  you  the  how  and  the 
why.  Every  city,  or  village,  or  hamlet  that  stands  near 
one  of  these  post-stations  has  a  fixed  demand  made  on 
it  for  as  many  horses  as  it  can  supply,  and  these  it  must 
furnish  to  the  post.  And  in  this  way  are  provided  all 
the  posts  of  the  cities,  as  well  as  the  towns  and  villages 
round  about  them  ;  only  in  uninhabited  tracts  the  horses 
are  furnished  at  the  expense  of  the  emperor  himself. 

How  far  all  this  was  true,  the  children  were  then 
eager  to  know.  But  Uncle  Fritz  told  them  that,  as 
to  that,  they  must  look  at  Col.  Yule's  very  interesting 
notes.  And  while  they  clustered  around  him  and  Laura, 
who  had  the  second  volume,  all  looking  at  the  maps 
and  pictures,  Ellen  Mahony  came  in  and  said  that  tea 
was  on  the  table. 


30  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE,  1286. 

Col.  Yule's  edition  of  Marco  Polo  was  published  by- 
Murray,  in  London,  in  1875.  As  has  been  said  above, 
it  should  be  in  every  public  library  which  means  to 
provide  for  intelligent  readers. 


11. 


SIR  JOHN   MANDEVILLE  AND  THE 
CRUSADES. 

COL.  INGHAM  was  well  pleased,  when  his  boys 
and  girls  clustered  round  him  the  next  Saturday, 
to  find  how  many  copies  of  "  Marco  Polo  "  they  had 
found  in  different  libraries,  and  how  much  of  it  they  had 
read,  in  one  reading-circle  and  another.  They  found  in 
it  manifold  illustrations  of  the  "Arabian  Nights,"  which, 
in  its  best  form,  —  Lane's  translation,  —  is  a  favorite 
book  in  our  little  circle. 

They  began  to  understand  what  Uncle  Fritz  had 
meant,  when  he  said  that  Marco  Polo  seemed  accurate 
when  he  described  what  he  saw,  and  that  his  exaggera- 
tions, or  what  people  called  his  lies,  came  in  when  he 
was  repeating  stories  which  other  people  had  told. 

Esther  asked  him  who  Mandeville  was,  of  whom  he  had 
said  the  same  thing. 

"  Mandeville  was  an  Englishman,  —  Sir  John  Mande- 
ville, —  who  went  to  Constantinople,  Egypt,  Palestine, 
Armenia,  and  other  countries  of  Western  Asia  a  little 
less  than  two  hundred  years  before  Columbus  sailed  for 
America.  The  exact  limits  of  his  absence  are  said  to  be 
the  years  1322  and  1356.  It  was  as  dark  a  time  as  there 
was  in  the  Dark  Ages.  He  was  in  the  military  service 
of  one  of  the  Eastern  princes,  and  had  a  chance  to  see 


32  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1322-56. 

travellers  from  all  lands,  and  to  hear  their  stories.  Peo- 
ple told  stories  in  the  East  then,  just  as  they  do  now,  and 
as  I  sometimes  hope  they  will,  one  day,  do  hear  again. 

"  For  my  part,  when  I  am  sitting  in  the  rather  dingy 
reading-room  of  a  third-rate  inn,  in  a  fourth-rate  town, 
waiting  for  my  train,  which  is  not  to  come  till  eleven  at 
night,  I  should  be  very  glad  if  a  good  story-teller  would 
come  in  and  sit  down  on  a  mat,  and  tell  me  either  the 
story  of  Sindbad  the  Sailor  or  of  Hiawatha  and  the 
Arrow-maker,  or  of  his  adventures  in  the  Rebellion. 
When  he  passed  his  hat  round,  I  should  put  in  my  five- 
cent  piece  much  more  willingly  than  I  give  it  for  the 
Torra-worra  Tell-tale,  which  only  gives  me  in  brief  the 
same  news  which  I  read  in  the  Big  Bow-wow  the  same 
morning. 

"  Well,  Sir  John  Mandeville  heard  these  stories  told 
by  story-tellers,  just  as  you  may  hear  them  to-day  in 
Cairo  or  in  Damascus.  Whether  he  wrote  them  down 
at  once,  I  do  not  know ;  but  at  some  time  or  other  he 
wrote  them  down,  and  now  the  whole  is  mixed  up  to- 
gether, —  what  he  saw  himself  with  what  travellers  told 
him  and  with  what  story-tellers  told  him. 

"  So  you  may  find  bits  of  *  Arabian  Nights  '  in  Sir  John 
Mandeville. 

"  There  is  so  much  of  this  that  there  came  to  be  a  time 
when  people  thought  he  had  rather  lie  than  to  tell  the 
truth. 

"  Indeed,"  said  Uncle  Fritz,  "  I  can  remember  that 
at  one  time  his  name  was  spelled  Man-Devil,  as  if  he 
were  quite  outside  of  human  nature  ;  but  I  believe  there 
is  now  no  doubt  that  this  was  his  real  name." 

Esther  said  she  remembered,  in  Catlin's  "  Indians," 
that  he  told  of  some  chiefs  who  had  been  taken  all 


1322-56.  SIR  JOHN'  MANDEVILLE.  33 

through  the  great  cities,  that  they  might  understand  the 
power  of  the  whites,  and,  when  they  came  back,  were 
wholly  disgraced  and  degraded,  because  they  told  such 
large  stories  that  nobody  could  believe  they  were  true. 

Uncle  Fritz  was  well  pleased  with  Esther's  good 
memory,  and  said  it  was  just  so  with  Sir  John  Mande- 
ville. 

Bob  Edmeston  brought  the  book,  which  is  in  a  very 
handy  form.-^  In  Bohn's  Library,  it  is  included  with 
many  other  early  journeys  to  Palestine.  The  young 
people  knew  the  Antiquarian  Library  already.  And  it 
may  be  said  to  other  young  people,  who  have  a  little 
money  to  spend  for  books,  that  in  Bohn's  various  "  Li- 
braries "  they  get  as  much  for  their  money  —  if  they  find 
the  book  they  want  in  the  catalogue  —  as  they  can  find 
anywhere. 

But  the  little  book  did  not  look  as  fascinating  as  the 
elegant,  large  pages  crowded  with  illustrations  of  Marco 
Polo. 

Uncle  Fritz  told  Bob  that  when  he  was  a  man,  and 
had  travelled  all  through  Asia,  he  might  edit  an  edition 
of  Sir  John  Mandeville,  as  elegant  as  Col.  Yule's  of 
Marco  Polo. 

*'  You  will  have  to  be  satisfied  now,"  said  he,  "  by  look- 
ing for  my  pencil-marks.  Or  turn  to  the  end.  See  what 
I  have  noticed  on  the  last  page." 

So  they  turned  to  the  last  page,  and  found  that  Uncle 
Fritz  had  made  an  index  of  the  things  he  liked  in  the 
book.  This  is  always  a  good  thing  to  do,  —  if  the  book 
is  your  own,  of  course.  They  read  aloud  the  headings, 
and  came  to  "  The  Lady  changed  into  a  Dragon." 

1  "Early  Travels  in  Palestine."     In  Bohn's  Antiquarian  Library. 
3 


34  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1322-56. 

"That  is  the  story  in  Morris's  'Earthly  Paradise,'" 
said  Uncle  Fritz.  "Look  a  little  further."  Esther  read 
on,  and  he  told  her  to  turn  back  to  the  book,  and  read  to 
them,  when  she  found  — 

HOW  ROSES  FIRST  CAME  INTO  THE  WORLD. 

From  Hebron  we  proceed  to  Bethlehem  in  half  a 
day,  for  it  is  but  five  miles  j  and  it  is  a  very  fair  way,  by 
pleasant  plains  and  woods.  Bethlehem  is  a  little  city, 
long  and  narrow  and  well-walled,  and  on  each  side 
enclosed  with  good  ditches.  It  was  formerly  called 
Ephrata,  as  Holy  Writ  says,  "  Lo,  we  heard  of  it  at 
Ephrata."  And  towards  the  east  end  of  the  city  is  a  very 
fair  and  handsome  church,  with  many  towers,  pinnacles, 
and  corners,  strongly  and  curiously  made,  and  within  are 
forty-four  great  and  fair  pillars  of  marble  ;  and  between 
the  city  and  the  church  is  the  Field  Floridus^ — that  is  to 
say,  \}ciQ,  field  flourish-ed.  For  a  fair  maiden  was  blamed 
with  wrong,  and  slandered,  for  which  cause  she  was  con- 
demned to  be  burned  in  that  place  ;  and  as  the  fire  began 
to  burn  about  her,  she  made  her  prayers  to  our  Lord  that, 
as  truly  as  she  was  not  guilty,  he  would  by  his  merciful 
grace  help  her,  and  make  it  known  to  all  men.  And 
when  she  had  thus  said  she  entered  into  the  fire,  and 
immediately  the  fire  was  extinguished,  and  the  fagots 
that  were  burning  became  red  rose-bushes,  and  those 
that  were  not  kindled  became  white  rose-bushes,  full  of 
roses  ;  and  these  were  the  first  rose-trees  and  roses,  both 
white  and  red,  that  ever  any  man  saw.  And  thus  was 
this  maiden  saved  by  the  grace  of  God  ;  and  therefore 
is  that  field  called  the  field  that  God  flourished,  for  it 
was  full  of  roses. 


1322-56.      THE    THIRD  ROYAL  MENDICANT.  35 

Then  Esther  turned  to  another  place  which  had  struck 
her  eye,  and  read  — 


OF  THE  ROCKS  OF  ADAMANT. 

In  that  island  are  ships  without  nails  of  iron  or  brass, 
on  account  of  the  rocks  of  adamant  (loadstones).  For 
they  are  all  abundant  thereabout  in  that  sea,  that  it  is 
marvellous  to  speak  of  ;  and  if  a  ship  passed  there  that 
had  either  iron  bands  or  iron  nails,  it  would  perish  ;  for 
the  adamant,  by  its  nature,  draws  iron  to  it,  and  so  it 
would  draw  it  to  the  ship,  because  of  the  iron,  that  it 
should  never  depart  from  it. 

"  That,"  cried  Bob  Edmerton,  "  was  what  happened  to 
Sindbad." 

"  Oh,  no  j  not  to  Sindbad  ! "  said  all  the  others. 

Uncle  Fritz  confessed  that  he  thought  it  was  to 
Sindbad.  This  was  a  great  triumph  for  the  little 
troop.  "To  think,"  said  Tom  Rising,  "  that  we  should 
bowl  out  Uncle  Fritz  on  the  *  Arabian  Nights ' !  I 
thought  he  knew  the  '  Arabian  Nights  '  by  heart."  So 
the  "  Arabian  Nights  "  (in  Lane's  version)  was  sent  for, 
and  Tom  Rising  read  aloud  from  the  story  of  **  The 
Third  Royal  Mendicant." 

"  A  royal  mendicant,"  said  Uncle  Fritz,  "  is  what  was 
called  a  *  calendar,*  when  I  was  a  boy." 

THE    STORY    OF   THE  THIRD   ROYAL  MENDICANT. 

So  he  went  aloft,  and  when  he  had  come  down  he  said 
to  the  captain,  "  I  saw,  on  my  right  hand,  fish  floating 
upon  the  surface  of  the  water,  and,  looking  towards  the 


36  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1322-56. 

midst  of  the  sea,  I  perceived  something  looming  in  the 
distance,  —  sometimes  black  and  sometimes  white." 

When  the  captain  heard  this  report  of  the  watch,  he 
threw  his  turban  on  the  deck,  and  plucked  his  beard,  and 
said  to  those  who  were  with  him,  "  Receive  warning  of 
our  destruction,  which  will  befall  all  of  us ;  not  one  will 
escape."  So  saying,  he  began  to  weep  ;  and  all  of  us, 
in  like  manner,  bewailed  our  lot.  I  desired  him  to  in- 
form us  of  that  which  the  watch  had  seen.  The  watch 
said,  "  To-morrow  we  shall  arrive  at  a  mountain  of  black 
stone,  called  loadstone :  the  current  is  now  bearing  us 
violently  toward  it,  and  the  ship  will  fall  in  pieces  j  for 
God  hath  given  to  the  loadstone  a  secret  property,  by 
virtue  of  which  everything  of  iron  is  attracted  toward  it. 
On  that  mountain  is  such  a  quantity  of  iron  as  no  one 
knoweth  but  God,  whose  name  be  exalted  !  for  from  times 
of  old  great  numbers  of  ships  have  been  destroyed  by 
the  influence  of  that  mountain." 

On  the  following  morning  we  drew  near  to  the  moun- 
tain ;  the  current  carried  us  toward  it  with  violence, 
and  when  the  ships  were  almost  close  to  it,  they  fell 
asunder,  and  all  the  nails,  and  everything  else  that  was 
of  iron,  flew  from  them  toward  the  loadstone.  It  was 
near  the  close  of  the  day  when  the  ship  fell  in  pieces. 
Some  of  us  were  drowned,  and  some  escaped ;  but  the 
greater  number  were  drowned,  and  of  those  who  saved 
their  lives,  none  knew  what  became  of  the  others,  so 
stupefied  were  they  by  the  waves  and  the  boisterous 
wind. 

After  they  had  looked  up  the  other  passages,  which 
are  somewhat  like  this,  in  the  Fifth  Voyage  of  Sindbad  the 
Sailor,  they  came  back  to  Sir  John  Mandeville.    They 


1322-56.         THE   GREAT  CHAN  OF  CATHAY.  37 

found  the  story  of  the  rich  man  Gathenabes,  and  his  false 
Paradise,  the  same  that  is  told  of  the  King  of  the  As- 
sassins. This  was  in  the  mysterious  land  of  Prester 
John.  They  found  the  happy  story  of  the  "  Island  of 
Bragman,"  which  some  men  call  the  Land  of  Faith. 
Then  they  found  the  description  of  the  Terrestrial 
Paradise,  which  poor  Mandeville  could  not  reach  from 
the  East  Indies,  better  than  poor  Columbus  could  from 
the  West.-^  They  found  about  the  country  where  the 
gentleman  has  such  long  nails  that  he  may  take  noth- 
ing, nor  handle  anything. 

Then  they  found  —  and  this  was  a  great  relief  to 
Sybil  —  that  after  all  these  travels,  Sir  John  returned  to 
Rome,  and  "was  absolved  of  all  that  lay  in  my  con- 
science  of  many  grievous  points."  For  notwithstanding 
Uncle  Fritz's  excuses  for  Sir  John,  Sybil  was  sadly 
afraid  that  he  needed  absolution  for  the  master  sin  of 
lying ;  and  if  he  ever  repented  of  it,  Sybil  was  glad. 

Before  she  laid  down  the  book  she  read  one  extract 
more. 

OF  THE  GREAT  CHAN  OF  CATHAY. 

In  this  city  (Caydon)  is  the  seat  of  the  Great  chan,^ 
in  a  very  great  palace,  the  fairest  of  the  world,  the 
walls  of  which  are  in  circuit  more  than  two  miles ;  and 
within  the  walls  it  is  all  full  of  other  palaces.  And 
in  the  garden  of  the  great  palace  there  is  a  great  hill, 
upon  which  is  another  palace,  the  fairest  and  richest 
that  any  man  may  devise.     And  all  about  the  palace 

1  See  "  Stories  of  the  Sea." 

2  We  follow  the  spelling  of  the  old  English  versions,  even  when  they 
vary  from  each  other. 


38  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1322-56. 

and  the  hill  are  many  trees  bearing  divers  fruits.  And 
all  about  that  hill  are  great  and  deep  ditches,  and 
beside  them  are  great  fish-ponds  on  both  sides ;  and 
there  is  a  very  fair  bridge  to  pass  over  the  ditches. 
And  in  these  fish-ponds  are  an  extraordinary  number  of 
wild  geese  and  ganders,  and  wild  ducks  and  swans  and 
herons.  And  all  about  these  ditches  and  fish-ponds  is 
the  great  garden,  full  of  wild  beasts,  so  that  when  the 
Great  chan  will  have  any  sport,  to  take  any  of  the  wild 
beasts  or  the  fowls,  he  will  cause  them  to  be  driven, 
and  take  them  at  the  windows,  without  going  out  of  his 
chamber.  Within  the  palace,  in  the  hall,  there  are 
twenty-four  pillars  of  fine  gold;  and  all  the  walls  are 
covered  within  with  red  skins  of  animals  called  pan- 
thers, fair  beasts  and  well-smelling;  so  that  for  the 
sweet  odor  of  the  skins,  no  evil  air  may  enter  into 
the  palace. 

The  skins  are  as  red  as  blood,  and  shine  so  bright 
against  the  sun  that  a  man  may  scarcely  look  at  them. 
And  many  people  worship  the  beasts  when  they  meet 
them  first  in  a  morning,  for  their  great  virtue  and  for 
the  good  smell  that  they  have  ;  and  the  skins  they  value 
more  than  if  they  were  plates  of  fine  gold. 

And  in  the  middle  of  the  palace  is  the  mountour  ^  of 
the  Great  chan,  all  wrought  of  gold  and  of  precious 
stones  and  of  great  pearls ;  and  at  the  four  corners  are 
four  serpents  of  gold ;  and  all  about  there  are  made 
large  nets  of  silk  and  gold,  and  great  pearls  hanging  all 
about  it.  And  under  the  mountour  are  conduits  of 
beverage  that  they  drink  in  the  emperor's  court.  And 
beside  the  conduits  are  many  vessels  of  gold,  with  which 

'  Mountour, — an  old  English  rendering  of  the  French  mouniagnette^ 
meaning  a  raised  platform. 


1322-56.        THE   GREAT  CHAN  OF  CATHAY.  39 

they  that  are  of  the  household  drink  at  the  conduit. 
The  hall  of  the  palace  is  full  nobly  arrayed,  and  full 
marvellously  attired  on  all  parts  in  all  things  that  men 
apparel  any  hall  with. 

And  first,  at  the  head  of  the  hall,  is  the  emperor's 
throne,  very  high,  where  he  sits  at  meat.  It  is  of  fine 
precious  stones,  bordered  all  about  with  purified  gold 
and  precious  stones  and  great  pearls.  And  the  steps 
up  to  the  table  are  of  precious  stones,  mixed  with  gold. 
And  at  the  left  side  of  the  emperor's  seat  is  the  seat  of 
his  first  wife,  one  step  lower  than  the  emperor ;  and  it  is 
of  jasper  bordered  with  gold,  and  the  seat  of  his  second 
wife  is  lower  than  his  first  wife,  and  is  also  of  jasper  bor- 
dered with  gold,  as  that  other  is.  And  the  seat  of  the 
third  wife  is  still  lower  by  a  step  than  the  second  wife's, 
for  he  has  always  three  wives  with  him,  wherever  he  is. 
And  after  his  wives,  on  the  same  side,  sit  the  ladies  of 
his  lineage,  still  lower,  according  to  their  ranks.  And 
all  those  that  are  married  have  a  counterfeit,  made  like 
a  man's  foot,  upon  their  heads,,  a  cubit  long,  all  wrought 
with  great,  fine,  and  orient  pearls,  and  above  made  with 
peacock's  feathers,  and  of  other  shining  feathers;  and  that 
stands  upon  their  heads  like  a  crest,  in  token  that  they 
are  under  man's  foot,  and  under  subjection  of  man. 
But  the  other  ladies,  that  are  unmarried,  have  none 
such.  And  after,  at  the  right  side  of  the  emperor,  first 
sits  his  eldest  son,  who  shall  reign  after  him,  one  step 
lower  than  the  emperor,  in  such  manner  of  seats  as  do 
the  empresses ;  and  after  him,  other  great  lords  of  his 
lineage,  each  of  them  a  step  lower  than  the  other, 
according  to  their  rank.  The  emperor  has  his  table 
alone  by  himself,  and  each  of  his  wives  has  also  her 
table  by  herself.     And  his  eldest  son,  and  the  other 


40  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1322. 

lords  also,  and  the  ladies,  and  all  that  sit  with  the  em- 
peror, have  very  rich  tables,  alone  by  themselves.  And 
under  the  emperor's  table  sit  four  clerks,  who  write  all 
that  the  emperor  says,  be  it  good  or  evil ;  for  all  that 
he  says  must  be  held  good;  for  he  may  not  change 
his  word  nor  revoke  it. 

At  great  feasts  men  bring,  before  the  emperor's  table, 
great  tables  of  gold,  and  thereon  are  peacocks  of  gold, 
and  many  other  kinds  of  different  fowls,  all  of  gold,  and 
richly  wrought  and  enamelled  j  and  they  make  them 
dance  and  sing,  clapping  their  wings  together,  and  mak- 
ing great  noise ;  and  whether  it  be  by  craft  or  by  necro- 
mancy I  know  not,  but  it  is  a  goodly  sight  to  behold. 
But  I  have  the  less  marvel  because  they  are  the  most 
skilful  men  in  the  world  in  all  sciences  and  in  all  crafts ; 
for  in  subtilty,  malice,  and  forethought  they  surpass  all 
men  under  heaven  ;  and,  therefore,  they  say  themselves 
that  they  see  with  two  eyes,  and  Christians  see  with  but 
one,  because  they  are  more  subtle  than  they.  .  .  . 

Nevertheless  the  truth  is  this,  —  that  Tartars,  and 
they  that  dwell  in  Greater  Asia,  came  of  Cham,  but 
the  emperor  of  Cathay  was  called  not  Cham,  but  Chan ; 
and  I  shall  tell  you  how.  It  is  but  little  more  than 
eight  score  years  since  all  Tartary  was  in  subjection 
and  servage  to  other  nations  about;  for  they  were  but 
herdsmen,  and  did  nothing  but  keep  beasts,  and  lead 
them  to  pastures.  But  among  them  they  had  seven 
principal  nations  that  were  sovereigns  of  them  all,  of 
which  the  first  nation  or  lineage  was  called  Tartar;  and 
that  is  the  most  noble  and  the  most  praised.  The 
second  lineage  is  called  Tanghot ;  the  third,  Eurache ; 
the  fourth,  Valair;  the  fifth,  Semoche;  the  sixth,  Megly; 
the  seventh,  Coboghe.     Now  it  befell  that  of  the  first 


/ 


1322.  ORIGIN  OF  TARTARS,  4 1 

lineage  succeeded  an  old  worthy  man,  and  was  not  rich, 
who  was  called  Changuys.  This  man  lay  one  night  in 
bed,  and  he  saw  in  a  vision  that  there  came  before  him 
a  knight,  armed  all  in  white,  and  he  sat  upon  a  white 
horse,  and  said  to  him,  "Chan,  sleepest  thou?  The 
immortal  God  hath  sent  me  to  thee ;  and  it  is  his  will 
that  thou  go  to  the  seven  lineages,  and  say  to  them  that 
thou  shalt  be  their  emperor ;  for  thou  shalt  conquer  the 
lands  and  the  countries  that  are  about ;  and  they  that 
march  upon  you  shall  be  under  your  subjection,  as  you 
have  been  under  theirs ;  for  that  is  God's  immortal  will." 

Changuys  arose,  and  went  to  the  seven  lineages  and 
told  them  what  the  white  knight  had  said.  And  they 
scorned  him,  and  said  that  he  was  a  fool ;  and  so  he 
departed  from  them,  all  ashamed.  And  the  night  fol- 
lowing, this  white  knight  came  to  the  seven  lineages 
and  commanded  them,  on  behalf  of  the  immortal  God, 
that  they  should  make  this  Changuys  their  emperor, 
and  they  should  be  out  of  subjection,  and  they  should 
hold  all  other  regions  about  them  in  servage,  as  they 
had  been  to  them  before.  And  next  day  they  chose 
him  to  be  their  emperor,  and  set  him  upon  a  black 
chest,  and  after  that  lifted  him  up  with  great  solemnity, 
and  set  him  in  a  chair  of  gold,  and  did  him  all  manner 
of  reverence ;  and  they  called  him  Chan,  as  the  white 
knight  called  him.  And  when  he  was  thus  chosen, 
he  would  make  trial  if  he  must  trust  in  them  or  not, 
and  whether  they  would  be  obedient  to  him  ;  and  then 
he  made  many  statutes  and  ordinances,  that  they  call 
Ysya  Chan. 

The  first  statute  was,  that  they  should  believe  in  and 
obey  immortal  God,  who  is  almighty,  and  who  would 
cast    them    out   of   servage;   and    they  should   at   all 


42  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1322. 

times  call  to  him  for  help  in  time  of  need.  The  second 
statute  was  that  all  manner  of  men  that  might  bear 
arms  should  be  numbered,  and  to  every  ten  should  be 
a  master,  and  to  every  hundred  a  master,  and  to  every 
thousand  a  master,  and  to  every  ten  thousand  a  master. 
After,  he  commanded  the  principals  of  the  seven  line- 
ages to  leave  and  forsake  all  they  had  in  goods  and 
heritage,  and  from  thenceforth  to  be  satisfied  with 
what  he  would  give  them  of  his  grace.  And  they  did 
so  immediately.  After  this  he  commanded  the  princi- 
pals of  the  seven  lineages,  that  each  should  bring  his 
eldest  son  before  him,  and  with  their  own  hands  smite 
off  their  heads  without  delay.  And  immediately  his 
command  was  performed. 

And  when  the  Chan  saw  that  they  made  no  obstacle 
to  perform  his  commandment,  then  he  thought  that  he 
might  well  trust  in  them;  and  he  commanded  them 
presently  to  make  them  ready,  and  to  follow  his  banner. 
And  after  this,  the  Chan  put  in  subjection  all  the  lands 
about  him.  Afterwards  it  befel  on  a  day,  that  the  Chan 
rode  with  a  few  companies  to  behold  the  strength  of 
the  country  that  he  had  won,  and  a  great  multitude  of 
his  enemies  met  with  him ;  and  to  give  good  example 
of  bravery  to  his  people,  he  was  the  first  that  fought,  and 
rushed  into  the  midst  of  his  enemies,  and  there  was 
thrown  from  his  horse,  and  his  horse  slain.  And  when 
his  people  saw  him  on  the  earth,  they  were  all  discour- 
aged, and  thought  he  had  been  dead,  and  fled  every 
one;  and  their  enemies  pursued  them,  but  they  knew 
not  that  the  emperor  was  there.  And  when  they  were 
returned  from  the  pursuit,  they  sought  the  woods,  if  any 
of  them  had  been  hid  in  them ;  and  many  they  found 
and  slew. 


1322-56.  PARADISE.  43 

So  it  happened  that  as  they  went  searching  toward 
the  place  where  the  emperor  was,  they  saw  an  owl  sitting 
on  a  tree  above  him ;  and  then  they  said  amongst  them 
that  there  was  no  man  there,  because  they  saw  the  bird 
there,  and  so  they  went  their  way ;  and  thus  the  emper- 
or escaped  death.  And  then  he  went  secretly  by  night, 
till  he  came  to  his  people,  who  were  very  glad  of  his 
coming,  and  gave  great  thanks  to  immortal  God,  and  to 
that  bird  by  which  their  lord  was  saved ;  and,  therefore, 
above  all  fowls  of  the  world,  they  worship  the  owl ;  and 
when  they  have  any  of  its  feathers,  they  keep  them  full 
preciously  instead  of  relics,  and  bear  them  upon  their 
heads  with  great  reverence ;  and  they  hold  themselves 
blessed,  and  safe  from  all  perils,  while  they  have  these 
feathers  on  them,  and  therefore  they  bear  them  upon 
their  heads.  After  all  this  the  Chan  assembled  his 
people,  and  went  against  those  who  had  assailed  him 
before,  and  destroyed  them,  and  put  them  in  subjec- 
tion and  servage. 

At  this  moment  in  the  reading  supper  was  announced  ; 
but  Clem  begged  them  to  wait  a  minute,  while  he  read 
why  Sir  John  Mandeville  did  not  tell  about  Paradise. 

Blanche  said  that  there  was  no  need  of  explaining 
that ;  but  Clem  persevered. 

"  Of  Paradise  I  cannot  speak  properly,  for  I  was  not 
there." 

"  That,"  said  Horace,  is  like  Cousin  :  *  I  say  nothing 
of  Buddhism,  because  I  know  nothing  about  it.' " 

"If  only  everybody  would  be  as  thoughtful!"  said 
Uncle  Fritz.  And  Clem  continued,  though  he  was 
already  losing  his  audience  :  — 

"  It  is  far  beyond,  and  I  repent  not  going  there,  but 


44  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1322-56. 

I  was  not  worthy."  "  I  should  think  not,"  interrupted 
Blanche.  "  But  as  I  have  heard  say  of  wise  men  be- 
yond, I  shall  tell  you  with  good  will.  Terrestrial  Para- 
dise, as  wise  men  say,  is  the  highest  place  of  the  earth, 
and  it  is  so  high  that  it  nearly  touches  the  circle  of  the 
moon  there,  as  the  moon  makes  her  turn.  For  it  is  so 
high  that  the  flood  of  Noah  might  not  come  to  it  that 
would  have  covered  all  the  earth  of  the  world  all  about, 
and  above  and  beneath,  except  Paradise.  And  this 
Paradise  is  inclosed  all  about  with  a  wall,  and  men 
know  not  whereof  it  is ;  for  the  wall  is  covered  all  over 
with  moss,  as  it  seems,  and  it  seems  not  that  the  wall  is 
natural  stone.  And  that  wall  stretches  from  the  south 
to  the  north ;  and  it  has  but  one  entry,  which  is  closed 
with  burning  fire,  so  that  no  man  that  is  mortal  dare 
enter." 

"  So  they  were  well  rid  of  Mandeville,"  said  Blanche, 
laughing ;  and  she  and  Clem  went  in  to  their  supper. 


III. 

BERTRANDON   IN   PALESTINE. 

WHEN  the  children  met  him  the  next  week,  Uncle 
Fritz  said  that  as  they  had  gone  so  far  east  in 
their  two  afternoons,  they  would  do  well  to  look  over 
some  of  the  accounts  of  the  Crusaders'  expeditions. 

The  boys  were  well  pleased  at  this  suggestion.  Some 
of  them  knew  Froissart,  and  all  of  them  had  read 
"Ivanhoe,"  and  "The  Talisman,"  and  "Count  Robert 
of  Paris." 

So  Uncle  Fritz  sent  again  for  the  "  Travels  in  Pales- 
tine," in  the  same  volume  of  Bohn's  Antiquarian  Library, 
and  Bedford  first,  and  Esther  afterward,  read  the  ex- 
tracts he  had  marked  for  them  from 

BERTRANDON  DE  LA  BROCQUI^RE. 

To  animate  and  inflame  the  hearts  of  such  noble 
men  as  may  be  desirous  of  seeing  the  world,  and  by  the 
order  and  command  of  the  most  high,  most  powerful, 
and  my  most  redoubted  lord,  Philip,  by  the  grace  of 
God  Duke  of  Burgundy,  Lorraine,  Brabant,  and  Lim- 
bourg.  Count  of  Flanders,  Artois,  and  Burgundy,  Palatine 
of  Hainault,  Holland,  Zealand,  and  Namur,  Marquis  of 
the  Holy  Empire,  lord  of  Friesland,  Salines,  and  Mech- 
lin, I,  Bertrandon  de  la  Brocquiere,  a  native  of  the  duchy 
of  Guienne,  lord  of  Vieux-Chateau,  counsellor  and  first 


46  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1432-33. 

esquire-carver  to  my  aforesaid  most  redoubted  lord,  after 
bringing  to  my  recollection  every  event,  in  addition  to 
what  I  had  made  an  abridgment  of  in  a  small  book  by 
way  of  memorandums,  have  fairly  written  out  this  ac- 
count of  my  short  travels,  in  order  that  if  any  king  or 
Christian  prince  should  wish  to  make  the  conquest  of 
Jerusalem,  and  lead  thither  an  army  overland,  or  if  any 
gentleman  should  be  desirous  of  travelling  thither,  they 
may  be  made  acquainted  with  all  the  towns,  cities, 
regions,  countries,  rivers,  mountains,  and  passes,  in  the 
different  districts,  as  well  as  the  lords  to  whom  they 
belong,  from  the  duchy  of  Burgundy  to  Jerusalem. 

The  route  hence  to  the  holy  city  of  Rome  is  too  well 
known  for  me  to  stop  and  describe  it.  I  shall  pass 
lightly  over  this  article,  and  not  say  much  until  I  come 
to  Syria.  .  .  .  Gaza,  situated  in  a  fine  country  near  the 
sea,  and  at  the  entrance  of  the  desert,  is  a  strong  town, 
although  uninclosed.  It  is  pretended  that  it  formerly 
belonged  to  the  famous  Samson.  His  palace  is  still 
shown,  and  also  the  columns  of  that  which  he  pulled 
down;  but  I  dare  not  affirm  that  these  are  the  same. 
Pilgrims  are  harshly  treated  there ;  and  we  also  should 
have  suffered  had  it  not  been  for  the  governor,  a  man 
about  sixty  years  of  age,  and  a  Circassian,  who  heard 
our  complaints  and  did  us  justice. 

Thrice  were  we  obliged  to  appear  before  him ;  once, 
on  account  of  the  swords  we  wore,  and  the  two  other 
times  for  quarrels  which  the  Saracen  moucres  sought  to 
have  with  us.  Many  of  us  wished  to  purchase  asses ; 
for  the  camel  has  a  very  rough  movement,  which  is 
extremely  fatiguing  to  those  unaccustomed  to  it.  An 
ass  is  sold  at  Gaza  for  two  ducats;  but  the  moucres 
not  only  wanted  to  prevent  our  buying  any,  but  to  force 


1432-33-  ^   STRANGE  BEAST.  4/ 

us  to  hire  asses  from  them,  at  the  price  of  five  ducats, 
to  St.  Catherine's.  This  conduct  was  represented  to 
the  governor.  For  myself,  who  had  hitherto  ridden  on 
a  camel,  and  had  no  intention  of  changing,  I  desired 
they  would  tell  me  how  I  could  ride  a  camel  and  an  ass 
at  the  same  time.  The  governor  decided  in  our  favor, 
and  ordered  that  we  should  not  be  forced  to  hire  any 
asses  from  the  moucres  against  our  inclinations. 

We  here  laid  in  fresh  provisions  necessary  for  the 
continuance  of  our  journey;  but,  on  the  eve  of  our  de- 
parture, four  of  my  companions  fell  sick,  and  returned 
to  Jerusalem.  I  set  off  with  the  five  others,  and  we 
came  to  a  village  situated  at  the  entrance  of  the  desert, 
and  the  only  one  to  be  met  with  between  Gaza  and  St. 
Catherine's.  We  thus  travelled  two  days  in  the  desert, 
absolutely  without  seeing  anything  deserving  to  be  re- 
lated. Only  one  morning  I  saw,  before  sunrise,  an  animal 
gunning  on  four  legs,  about  three  feet  long,  but  scarcely 
a  palm  in  height.  The  Arabians  fled  at  the  sight  of  it, 
and  the  animal  hastened  to  hide  itself  in  a  bush  hard 
by.  Sir  Andrew  and  Pierre  de  Vandrei  dismounted, 
and  pursued  it  sword  in  hand,  when  it  began  to  cry  like 
a  cat  on  the  approach  of  a  dog.  Pierre  de  Vaudrei 
struck  it  on  the  back  with  the  point  of  his  sword,  but 
did  it  no  harm,  from  its  being  covered  with  scales  like 
a  sturgeon.  It  sprang  at  Sir  Andrew,  who,  with  a  blow 
from  his  sword,  cut  the  neck  partly  through,  and  flung 
it  on  its  back  with  its  feet  in  the  air,  and  killed  it.  The 
head  resembled  that  of  a  large  hare ;  the  feet  were  like 
the  hands  of  a  young  child,  with  a  pretty  long  tail,  like 
that  of  the  large  green  lizard.  Our  Arabs  and  inter- 
preter told  us  it  was  very  dangerous. 

At  the  end  of  the  second  day's  journey  I  was  seized 


48  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE,  1432-33. 

with  such  a  burning  fever  that  it  was  impossible  for  me 
to  proceed.  My  four  companions,  distressed  at  this 
accident,  made  me  mount  an  ass,  and  recommended  me 
to  one  of  our  Arabs,  whom  they  charged  to  reconduct 
me,  if  possible,  to  Gaza.  This  man  took  a  great  deal 
of  care  of  me,  which  is  unusual  in  respect  to  Christians. 
He  faithfully  kept  me  company,  and  led  me  in  the  even- 
ing to  pass  the  night  in  one  of  their  camps,  which  might 
consist  of  fourscore  and  some  tents,  pitched  in  the 
form  of  a  street.  These  tents  consist  of  two  poles 
stuck  in  the  ground  by  the  bigger  end,  at  a  certain  dis- 
tance from  each  other,  and  on  them  is  placed  another 
pole  cross-way,  and  over  this  last  is  laid  a  thick  cover- 
lid of  woollen,  or  coarse  hair.  On  my  arrival,  four  or 
five  Arabs,  who  were  acquainted  with  my  companion, 
came  to  meet  us.  They  dismounted  me  from  my  ass, 
and  laid  me  on  a  mattrass  which  I  had  with  me,  and 
then,  treating  me  according  to  their  method,  kneaded 
and  pinched  me  so  much  with  their  hands,  that  from 
fatigue  and  lassitude  I  slept,  and  reposed  for  six  hours. 
During  this  time  no  one  did  me  the  least  harm,  nor 
took  anything  from  me.  It  would,  however,  have  been 
very  easy  for  them  to  do  so ;  and  I  must  have  been  a 
tempting  prey,  for  I  had  with  me  two  hundred  ducats, 
and  two  camels  laden  with  provision  and  wine. 

1  set  out  on  my  return  to  Gaza  before  day ;  but  when 
I  came  thither,  I  found  neither  my  four  companions  who 
had  remained  behind  nor  Sir  Sanson  de  Lalaing :  the 
whole  five  had  returned  to  Jerusalem,  carrying  with  them 
the  interpreter.  Fortunately  I  met  with  a  Sicilian  Jew, 
to  whom  I  could  make  myself  understood  ;  and  he  sent 
me  an  old  Samaritan,  who,  by  some  medicines  which  he 
gave  me,  appeased  the  great  heat  I   endured.      Two 


1432-33-  CHRISTIAN  PILGRIMAGE.  49 

days  after,  finding  myself  a  little  better,  I  set  off  in  com- 
pany with  a  Moor,  who  conducted  me  by  a  river  on  the 
seaside.  We  passed  near  Ascalon,  and  thence  traversed 
an  agreeable  and  fertile  country  to  Ramie,  where  I  re- 
gained the  road  to  Jerusalem.  On  the  first  day's  jour- 
ney I  met  on  the  road  the  governor  of  that  town, 
returning  from  a  pilgrimage,  with  a  company  of  fifty 
horsemen,,  and  one  hundred  camels,  mounted  princi- 
pally by  women  and  children,  who  had  attended  him  to 
his  place  of  devotion.  I  passed  the  night  with  them, 
and  the  morrow,  on  my  return  to  Jerusalem,  took  up  my 
lodgings  with  the  Cordeliers,  at  the  Church  of  Mount 
Sion,  where  I  again  met  my  five  comrades.  On  my  arri- 
val I  went  to  bed,  that  my  disorder  might  be  properly 
treated  ;  but  I  was  not  cured,  or  in  a  state  to  depart, 
until  the  19th  of  August.  During  my  convalescence  I 
recollected  that  I  had  frequently  heard  it  said  that  it  was 
impossible  for  a  Christian  to  return  overland  from  Jeru- 
salem to  France.  I  dare  not,  even  now,  when  I  have 
performed  this  journey,  assert  that  it  is  safe.  I  thought, 
nevertheless,  that  nothing  was  irnpossible  for  a  man  to 
undertake  who  has  a  constitution  strong  enough  to  sup- 
port fatigue,  and  has  money  and  health.  It  is  not,  how- 
ever, through  vain  boasting  that  I  say  this  ;  but  with  the 
aid  of  God  and  his  glorious  Mother,  who  never  fail  to 
assist  those  who  pray  to  them  heartily,  I  resolved  to 
attempt  the  journey.  I  kept  my  project  secret  for  some 
time,  without  even  hinting  it  to  my  companions.  I  was 
also  desirous,  before  I  undertook  it,  to  perform  other  pil- 
grimages, especially  those  to  Nazareth  and  Mount  Tabor. 
I  went,  in  consequence,  to  make  Nanchardin,  principal 
interpreter  to  the  sultan,  acquainted  with  my  intentions, 
who  supplied  me  with  a  sufficient  interpreter  for  my  jour- 

4 


50  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1432-33. 

ney.  I  thought  of  making  my  first  pilgrimage  to  Mount 
Tabor,  and  everything  was  prepared  for  it ;  but  when  I 
was  on  the  point  of  setting  out,  the  head  of  the  convent 
where  I  lodged  dissuaded  me,  and  opposed  my  intentions 
most  strongly.  The  interpreter,  on  his  side,  refused  to  go, 
saying  that  in  the  present  circumstances  I  should  not 
find  any  person  to  attend  me;  for  that  the  road  lay 
through  the  territories  of  towns  which  were  at  war  with 
each  other,  and  that  very  lately  a  Venetian  and  his 
interpreter  had  been  assassinated  there.  I  confined 
myself,  therefore,  to  the  second  pilgrimage,  in  which  Sir 
Sanson  de  Lalaing  and  Humbert  wished  to  accompany 
me. 

The  principal  monk  at  Jerusalem  was  so  friendly  as  to 
accompany  us  as  far  as  Jaffa,  with  a  Cordelier  friar  of 
the  Convent  of  Beaune.  They  there  quitted  us,  and  we 
engaged  a  bark  from  the  Moors,  which  carried  us  to  the 
port  of  Acre.  This  is  a  handsome  port,  deep  and  well 
inclosed.  The  town  itself  appears  to  have  been  large 
and  strong,  but  at  present  there  do  not  exist  more  than 
three  hundred  houses,  situated  at  one  of  its  extremities, 
and  at  some  distance  from  the  sea. 

With  regard  to  our  pilgrimage,  we  could  not  accom- 
plish it.  Some  Venetian  merchants  whom  we  consulted 
dissuaded  us,  and  from  that  time  we  gave  it  up.  They 
told  us,  at  the  same  time,  that  a  galley  from  Narbonne 
was  expected  at  Baruth ;  and  my  comrades  being  de- 
sirous to  take  that  opportunity  of  returning  to  France, 
we  consequently  followed  the  road  to  that  town.  ...  It 
is  two  days'  journey  from  Baruth  to  Damascus.  The 
Mohammedans  have  established  a  particular  custom  for 
Christians  all  through  Syria,  in  not  permitting  them  to 
enter  the  towns  on  horseback.     None  that  are  known  to 


<   c        •  c  «  t 


1432-33-  GARDENS  OF  JAFFA.  51 

be  such  dare  do  it  j  and  in  consequence,  our  moucre 
made  Sir  Sanson  and  myself  dismount  before  we  en- 
tered any  town.  Scarcely  had  we  arrived  in  Damascus 
than  about  a  dozen  Saracens  came  round  to  look  at  us. 
I  wore  a  broad  beaver  hat,  which  is  unusual  in  that 
country ;  and  one  of  them  gave  me  a  blow  with  a  staff, 
which  knocked  it  off  my  head  on  the  ground.  I  own  that 
my  first  movement  was  to  lift  my  fist  at  him,  but  the  mou- 
cre, throwing  himself  between  us,  pushed  me  aside,  and 
very  fortunately  for  me  he  did  so ;  for  in  an  instant  we 
were  surrounded  by  thirty  or  forty  persons,  and  if  I  had 
given  a  blow  I  know  not  what  would  have  become  of  us. 
I  mention  this  circumstance  to  show  that  the  inhabitants 
of  Damascus  are  a  wicked  race,  and  consequently  care 
should  be  taken  to  avoid  any  quarrels  with  them.  It  is 
the  same  in  other  Mohammedan  countries.  I  know  by 
experience  that  you  must  not  joke  with  them,  nor  at  the 
same  time  seem  afraid ;  nor  appear  poor,  for  then  they  will 
despise  you  ;  nor  rich,  for  they  are  very  avaricious,  as 
all  who  have  disembarked  at  Jaffa  know  to  their  cost. 
Damascus  may  contain,  as  I  have  heard,  one  hundred 
thousand  souls.  The  town  is  rich,  commercial,  and 
after  Cairo  the  most  considerable  of  all  in  the  possession 
of  the  sultan.  To  the  north,  south,  and  east  is  an  exten- 
sive plain  ;  to  the  west  rises  a  mountain,  at  the  foot  of 
which  the  suburbs  are  built.  A  river  runs  through  it, 
which  is  divided  into  several  canals.  The  town  only  is 
inclosed  by  a  handsome  wall,  for  the  suburbs  are  larger 
than  the  town. 

I  have  nowhere  seen  such  extensive  gardens,  better 
fruits,  nor  greater  plenty  of  water.  This  is  said  to  be 
so  abundant  that  there  is  scarcely  a  house  without  a 
fountain.    The  governor  is  only  inferior  to  the  sultan  in 


52  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1432-33. 

all  Syria  and  Egypt;  but  as  at  different  times  some 
governors  have  revolted,  the  sultans  have  taken  precau- 
tions to  restrain  them  within  proper  bounds. 

Damascus  has  a  strong  castle  on  the  side  toward  the 
mountain,  with  wide  and  deep  ditches,  over  which  the 
sultan  appoints  a  captain  of  his  own  friends,  who  never 
suffers  the  governor  to  enter  it.  It  was,  in  1400,  de- 
stroyed and  reduced  to  ashes  by  Tamerlane.  Vestiges 
of  this  disaster  now  remain,  and  toward  the  gate  of  St. 
Paul  there  is  a  whole  quarter  that  has  never  been 
rebuilt.  There  is  a  khan  in  the  town  appropriated  as  a 
deposit  and  place  of  safety  to  merchants  and  their 
goods.  It  is  called  Kahn  Berkot,  from  its  having 
originally  been  the  residence  of  a  person  of  that  name. 
For  my  part,  I  believe  that  Berkot  was  a  Frenchman, 
and  what  inclines  me  to  this  opinion  is,  that  on  a  stone 
of  the  house  are  carved  fleur-de-lis,  which  appear  as 
ancient  as  the  walls.  Whatever  may  have  been  his 
origin,  he  was  a  very  gallant  man,  and  to  this  day  enjoys 
a  high  reputation  in  that  country.  Never  during  his 
lifetime,  and  while  he  was  in  power,  could  the  Persians 
or  Tartars  gain  the  smallest  portion  of  land  in  Syria. 
The  moment  he  learned  that  one  of  their  armies  was 
advancing  he  instantly  marched  to  meet  it,  as  far  as  the 
river,  beyond  Aleppo,  that  separates  Syria  from  Persia. 
.  .  .  The  people  of  Damascus  are  persuaded  that,  had 
he  lived,  Tamerlane  would  never  have  carried  his  arms 
thither.  Tamerlane,  however,  did  honor  to  his  memory, 
for  when  he  took  the  town  and  ordered  it  to  be  set  on 
fire,  he  commanded  the  house  of  Berkot  to  be  spared, 
and  appointed  a  guard  to  prevent  its  being  hurt  by  the 
fire,  so  that  it  subsists  to  this  day.  The  Christians  are 
hated  at  Damascus.     Every  evening  the  merchants  are 


1432-33-  BARUTH.  53 

shut  up  in  their  houses  by  persons  appointed  for  this 
purpose,  who,  on  the  morrow,  come  to  open  their  gates 
when  it  may  please  them. 

I  was  shown  the  place  without  the  walls  of  Damascus 
where  St.  Paul  had  a  vision,  was  struck  blind,  and 
thrown  from  his  horse.  He  caused  himself  to  be  con- 
ducted to  Damascus,  where  he  was  baptized,  but  the 
place  of  his  baptism  is  now  a  mosque.  I  saw  also  the 
stone  from  which  St.  George  mounted  his  horse  when 
he  went  to  combat  the  dragon.  It  is  two  feet  square, 
and  they  say,  that  when  formerly  the  Saracens  attempted 
to  carry  it  away,  in  spite  of  all  the  strength  they  em- 
ployed, they  could  not  succeed. 

Having  seen  Damascus,  Sir  Sanson  and  myself  re- 
turned to  Baruth,  where  we  found  Sir  Andrew,  Pierre 
de  Vaudrei,  Geoffroi  de  Toisi,  and  Jean  de  la  Roe,  who 
had  come  thither,  as  Jacques  Coeur  had  told  us.  The 
galley  arrived  from  Alexandria  two  or  three  days  after- 
ward, and  during  this  short .  interval  we  witnessed  a 
feast  celebrated  by  the  Moors  in  their  ancient  manner. 
It  began  in  the  evening  at  sunset.  Numerous  com- 
panies, scattered  here  and  there,  were  singing  and  utter- 
ing loud  cries.  While  this  was  passing,  the  cannons  of 
the  castle  were  fired,  and  the  people  of  the  town 
launched  into  the  air,  very  high  and  to  a  great  distance, 
a  kind  of  fire,  larger  than  the  largest  lantern  that  I  ever 
saw  lighted.  They  told  me  they  sometimes  made  use  of 
such  at  sea  to  set  fire  to  the  sails  of  an  enemy's  vessel. 
It  seems  to  me  that  as  it  is  an  easy  thing  to  be  made, 
and  of  little  expense,  it  may  be  equally  well  employed 
to  burn  a  camp  or  a  thatched  village,  or  in  an  engage- 
ment with  cavalry  to  frighten  the  horses.     Curious  to 


54  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1432-33. 

know  its  composition,  I  sent  the  servant  of  my  host 
to  the  person  who  made  this  fire,  and  requested  him 
to  teach  me  the  method.  He  returned  for  answer  that 
he  dared  not,  for  that  he  should  run  great  danger  were 
it  known  ;  but,  as  there  is  nothing  that  a  Moor  will  not 
do  for  money,  I  offered  him  a  ducat,  which  quieted  his 
fears ;  and  he  taught  me  all  he  knew,  and  even  gave  me 
the  moulds  in  wood,  with  the  other  ingredients,  which  I 
have  brought  to  France. 

The  evening  before  the  embarkation,  I  took  Sir  An- 
drew de  Toulongeon  aside,  and,  having  made  him 
promise  that  he  would  not  make  any  opposition  to  what 
I  was  about  to  reveal  to  him,  I  informed  him  of  my 
design  to  return  home  overland.  In  consequence  of  his 
promise  he  did  not  attempt  to  hinder  me,  but  represented 
all  the  dangers  I  should  have  to  encounter,  and  the  risk 
I  should  run  of  being  forced  to  deny  my  faith  in  Jesus 
Christ.  I  must  own  that  his  representations  were  well 
founded,  and  of  all  the  perils  he  had  menaced  me  with 
there  was  not  one  I  did  not  experience,  except  denying 
my  religion.  He  engaged  his  companions  to  talk  with 
me  also  on  this  subject,  but  what  they  urged  was  vain. 
I  suffered  them  to  set  sail  and  remained  at  Baruth.  .  .  . 
I  was  lodged  at  the  house  of  a  Venetian  merchant, 
named  Paul  Barberico,  and  as  I  had  not  entirely  re- 
nounced my  two  pilgrimages  to  Nazareth  and  Mount 
Tabor,  in  spite  of  the  obstacles  which  it  had  been  said 
I  should  meet  with,  I  consulted  him  on  this  double 
journey.  He  procured  for  me  a  moucre,  who  undertook 
to  conduct  me,  and  bound  himself  before  him  to  carry 
me  safe  and  sound  as  far  as  Damascus,  and  to  bring 
him  back  from  thence  a  certificate  of  having  performed 
his  engagement,  signed  by  me.     This  man  made  me 


1432-33-  MOUNT  TABOR.  55 

dress  myself  like  a  Saracen.  The  Franks,  for  their 
security  in  travelling,  have  obtained  permission  from 
the  sultan  to  wear  this  dress  when  on  a  journey.  I 
departed  with  my  moucre  from  Baruth  on  the  morrow 
after  the  galley  had  sailed,  and  we  followed  the  road  to 
Seyde  that  lies  between  the  sea  and  the  mountains. 
These  frequently  run  so  far  into  the  sea  that  travellers 
are  forced  to  go  on  the  sands,  and  at  other  times  they 
are  three  quarters  of  a  league  distant.  After  an  hour's 
ride  I  came  to  a  small  wood  of  lofty  pines,  which  the 
people  of  the  country  preserve  with  care.  It  is  even 
forbidden  to  cut  down  any  of  them,  but  I  am  ignorant 
of  the  reason  for  such  a  regulation.  Further  on  was  a 
tolerably  deep  river,  which  my  moucre  said  came  from 
the  valley  of  Noah,  but  the  water  was  not  good  to  drink. 
It  had  a  stone  bridge  over  it,  and  hard  by  was  a  kahn, 
where  we  passed  the  night. 

The  mountain  near  Sur  forms  a  crescent,  the  two 
horns  advancing  as  far  as  the  sea;  a  league  farther  we 
came  to  a  pass,  which  forced  us  to  travel  over  a  bank, 
on  the  summit  of  which  is  a  tower.  Travellers  going  to 
Acre  have  no  other  road  than  this,  and  the  tower  has 
been  erected  for  their  security.  From  this  defile  to 
Acre  the  mountains  are  low,  and  many  habitations  are 
visible,  inhabited,  for  the  greater  part,  by  Arabs.  Near 
the  town  I  met  a  great  lord  of  the  country,  called  Fan- 
cardin  ;  he  was  encamped  on  the  open  plain,  carrying 
his  tents  with  him.  .  .  .  From  Nazareth  I  went  to 
Mount  Tabor,  the  place  where  the  transfiguration  of 
our  Lord  and  many  other  miracles  took  place.  These 
pasturages  attract  the  Arabs,  who  come  thither  with 
their  beasts,  and  I  was  forced  to  engage  four  additional 


56  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1432-33. 

men  as  an  escort,  two  of  whom  were  Arabs.  The  ascent 
of  the  mountain  is  rugged,  because  there  is  no  road  : 
I  performed  it  on  the  back  of  a  mule,  but  it  took  me 
two  hours.  ...  To  the  east  of  Mount  Tabor,  and  at 
the  foot  of  it,  we  saw  the  Tiberiade,  beyond  which  the 
Jordan  flows.  To  the  westward  is  an  extensive  plain, 
very  agreeable  from  its  gardens,  filled  with  date-palm 
trees,  and  small  tufts  of  trees  planted  like  vines,  on 
which  grows  the  cotton.  At  sunrise  these  last  have  a 
singular  effect,  and,  seeing  their  green  leaves  covered 
with  cotton,  the  traveller  would  suppose  it  had  snowed 
on  them. 

I  descended  into  this  plain  to  dinner,  for  I  had 
brought  with  me  chickens  and  wine.  My  guides  con- 
ducted me  to  the  house  of  a  man,  who,  when  he  saw 
my  wine,  took  me  for  a  person  of  consequence,  and 
received  me  well.  He  brought  me  a  porringer  of  milk, 
another  of  honey,  and  a  branch  loaded  with  dates. 
They  were  the  first  I  had  ever  seen. 

I  noticed  also  the  manner  of  manufacturing  cotton, 
in  which  men  and  women  were  employed.  Here  my 
guides  wanted  to  extort  more  money  from  me,  and 
insisted  on  making  a  fresh  bargain  to  reconduct  me  to 
Nazareth.  It  was  well  I  had  not  my  sword  with  me,  for 
I  confess  I  should  have  drawn  it,  and  it  would  have  been 
madness  in  me  and  in  all  who  shall  imitate  me.  The 
result  of  the  quarrel  was,  that  I  was  obliged  to  give 
them  twelve  drachms  of  their  money,  equivalent  to  half 
a  ducat.  The  moment  they  had  received  them,  the 
whole  four  left  me,  so  that  I  was  obliged  to  return  alone 
with  my  moucre.  We  had  not  proceeded  far  on  our 
road  when  we  saw  two  Arabs,  armed  in  their  manner, 
and  mounted  on  beautiful  horses,  coming  towards  us. 


1432-33-  ^^  ALARM.  t^'j 

The  moucre  was  much  frightened ;  but,  fortunately,  they 
passed  us  without  saying  a  word.  He  owned  that,  had 
they  suspected  I  was  a  Christian,  they  would  have  killed 
us  both  without  mercy,  or,  at  the  least,  have  stripped  us 
naked. 

Each  of  them  bore  a  long  and  thin  pole,  shod  at  the 
ends  with  iron;  one  of  them  was  pointed,  the  other 
round,  but  having  many  sharp  blades  a  span  long. 
Their  buckler  was  round,  according  to  their  custom, 
convex  at  the  centre,  whence  came  a  thick  point  of 
iron ;  and  from  that  point  to  the  bottom  it  was  orna- 
mented with  a  long  silken  fringe.  They  were  dressed 
in  robes,  the  sleeves  of  which,  a  foot  and  a  half  wide, 
hung  down  their  arms ;  and  instead  of  a  cap  they  had  a 
round  hat,  terminated  in  a  point  of  rough  crimson  wool, 
which,  instead  of  having  the  linen  cloth  twisted  about 
it,  like  other  Moors,  fell  down  on  each  side  of  it,  the 
whole  of  its  breadth. 

I  met,  near  Damascus,  a  very  black  Moor,  who  had 
ridden  a  camel  from  Cairo  in  eight  days,  though  it  is 
usually  sixteen  days'  journey.  His  camel  had  run  away 
from  him  ;  but  with  the  aid  of  my  moucre,  we  recovered 
it.  These  couriers  have  a  singular  saddle,  on  which 
they  sit  cross-legged ;  but  the  rapidity  of  the  camel  is 
so  great  that,  to  prevent  any  bad  effects  from  the  air, 
they  have  their  heads  and  bodies  bandaged.  This  cou- 
rier was  the  bearer  of  an  order  from  the  sultan.  A 
galley  and  two  galliots  of  the  prince  of  Tarentum  had 
captured,  before  Tripoli  in  Syria,  a  vessel  from  the 
Moors  ;  and  the  sultan,  by  way  of  reprisal,  had  sent  to 
arrest  all  the  Catalonians  and  Genoese  who  might  be 
found  in  Damascus  and  throughout  Syria. 


58  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1432-33. 

This  news  which  my  moucre  told  me  did  not  alarm 
me ;  I  entered  the  town  boldly  with  other  Saracens, 
because,  dressed  like  them,  I  thought  I  had  nothing  to 
fear.  This  expedition  had  taken  up  seven  days.  On 
the  morrow  of  my  arrival  I  saw  the  caravan  return 
from  Mecca.  It  was  said  to  be  composed  of  three 
thousand  camels ;  and,  in  fact,  it  was  two  days  and  as 
many  nights  before  they  all  entered  the  town.  This 
event  was,  according  to  custom,  a  great  festival.  The 
governor  of  Damascus,  attended  by  the  principal  per- 
sons of  the  town,  went  to  meet  the  caravan,  out  of  re- 
spect to  the  Alcoran,  which  it  bore.  This  is  the  book 
of  law  which  Mohammed  left  to  his  followers.  It  was 
enveloped  in  a  silken  covering,  painted  over  with  Moor- 
ish inscriptions ;  and  the  camel  that  bore  it  was,  in  like 
manner,  decorated  all  over  with  silk.  Four  musicians, 
and  a  great  number  of  drums  and  trumpets,  preceded 
the  camel,  and  made  a  loud  noise.  In  front  and 
around  were  about  thirty  men,  some  bearing  cross- 
bows, others  drawn  swords,  others  small  harquebuses,^ 
which  they  fired  off  every  now  and  then.  Behind  this 
camel  followed  eight  old  men,  mounted  on  the  swiftest 
camels,  and  near  them  were  led  their  horses,  magnifi- 
cently caparisoned,  and  ornamented  with  rich  saddles, 
according  to  the  custom  of  the  country.  After  them 
came  a  Turkish  lady,  a  relation  of  the  grand  seignior, 
in  a  litter  borne  by  two  camels  with  rich  housings. 

The  caravan  was  composed  of  Moors,  Turks,  Barba- 
resques,  Tartars,  Persians,  and  other  sectaries  of  the 
false  prophet,  Mohammed.  These  people  pretend  that, 
having  once  made  a  pilgrimage  to  Mecca,  they  cannot 

'  This  is  an  early  mention  of  portable  fire-arms  in  the  East ;  they  were 
at  this  time  novelties  in  Europe. 


1432-33.  MECCA.  59 

be  damned.  Of  this  I  was  assured  by  a  renegado  slave, 
a  Bulgarian  by  birth,  who  belonged  to  the  lady  I  have 
mentioned.  He  was  called  Hayauldoula,  which  signi- 
fies, in  the  Turkish  language,  "  Servant  of  God,"  and 
pretended  to  have  been  three  times  at  Mecca.  I  formed 
an  acquaintance  with  him,  because  he  spoke  a  little 
Italian,  and  often  kept  me  company  in  the  night  as 
well  as  in  the  day.  In  our  conversations  I  frequently 
questioned  him  about  Mohammed,  and  where  his  body 
was  interred.  He  told  me  he  was  at  Mecca ;  that  the 
shrine  containing  the  body  was  in  a  circular  chapel, 
open  at  the  top,  and  that  it  was  through  this  opening 
the  pilgrims  saw  the  shrine ;  that  among  them  were  some 
who,  having  seen  it,  had  their  eyes  thrust  out,  because, 
they  said,  after  what  they  had  just  seen,  the  world 
could  no  longer  offer  them  anything  worth  looking  at. 
There  were,  in  fact,  in  this  caravan  two  persons,  the 
one  of  sixteen  and  the  other  of  twenty-two  or  twenty- 
three  years  old,  who  had  thus  made  themselves  blind. 

The  distance  from  Mecca  to  Damascus  is  forty  days' 
journey  across  the  desert.  The  heat  is  excessive;  and 
many  of  the  caravan  were  suffocated.  According  to 
the  renegade  slave,  the  annual  caravan  to  Medina  should 
be  composed  of  seven  hundred  thousand  persons ;  and 
when  this  number  is  incomplete,  God  sends  his  angels 
to  make  it  up.  As  I  was  incessantly  hearing  Moham- 
med spoken  of,  I  wished  to  know  something  about  him  ; 
and  for  this  purpose,  I  addressed  myself  to  a  priest  in 
Damascus,  attached  to  the  Venetian  consul,  who  often 
said  mass  in  his  house,  confessed  the  merchants  of  that 
nation,  and,  when  necessary,  regulated  their  affairs. 
Having  confessed  myself  to  him,  and  settled  my  worldly 


6o  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1432-33. 

concerns,  I  asked  him  if  he  were  acquainted  with  the 
doctrines  of  Mohammed.  He  said  he  was,  and  knew 
all  the  Alcoran.  I  then  besought  him,  in  the  best 
manner  I  could,  that  he  would  put  down  in  writing  all 
he  knew  of  him,  that  I  might  present  it  to  my  lord  the 
Duke  of  Burgundy.  He  did  so  with  pleasure;  and  I 
have  brought  with  me  his  work. 

In  regard  to  the  pilgrims  that  go  to  Mecca,  the  grand 
Turk  has  a  custom  peculiar  to  himself,  —  at  least,  I  am 
ignorant  if  the  other  Mohammedan  powers  do  the  same, 
—  which  is,  that  when  the  caravan  leaves  his  states  he 
chooses  for  it  a  chief,  whom  they  are  bound  to  obey  as 
implicitly  as  himself.  The  chief  of  this  caravan  was 
called  Hoyarbarach ;  he  was  a  native  of  Bursa,  and  one 
of  its  principal  inhabitants.  I  caused  myself  to  be  pre- 
sented to  him,  by  mine  host  and  another  person,  as  a 
man  that  wanted  to  go  to  that  town  to  see  a  brother. 
They  entreated  him  to  receive  me  into  his  company,  and 
to  afford  me  his  security.  He  asked  if  I  understood 
Arabic,  Turkish,  Hebrew,  the  vulgar  tongue,  or  Greek. 
When  they  replied  that  I  did  not,  he  answered,  "Well, 
what  can  he  pretend  to  do  ?  "  However,  representations 
were  made  to  him  that,  on  account  of  the  war,  I  dared 
not  go  thither  by  sea ;  and  that,  if  he  would  condescend 
to  admit  me,  I  would  do  as  well  as  I  could.  He  then 
consented;  and,  having  placed  his  two  hands  on  his 
head  and  touched  his  beard,  he  told  me,  in  the  Turkish 
language,  that  I  might  join  his  slaves,  but  he  insisted 
that  I  should  be  dressed  just  like  them. 

I  went,  after  this  interview,  with  one  of  my  friends,  to 
the  market,  called  the  Bazaar,  and  bought  two  long 
white  robes  that  reached  to  my  ankles,  a  complete  tur- 


1432-33-  DAMASCUS  BLADES.  6 1 

ban,  a  linen  girdle,  a  fustian  pair  of  drawers  to  tuck  the 
ends  of  my  robe  in ;  two  small  bags,  the  one  for  my  own 
use,  the  other  to  hang  on  my  horse's  head  while  feeding 
him  with  barley  and  straw ;  a  leathern  spoon,  and  salt ; 
a  carpet  to  sleep  oh ;  and,  lastly,  a  paletot  of  a  white 
skin,  which  I  lined  with  a  linen  cloth,  and  which  was  of 
service  to  me  in  the  nights.  I  purchased  also  a  white 
tarquais  (a  sort  of  quiver)  complete,  to  which  hung  a 
sword  and  knives ;  but  as  to  the  tarquais  and  sword,  I 
could  only  buy  them  privately ;  for  if  those  who  have 
the  administration  of  justice  had  known  of  it,  the  seller 
and  myself  would  have  run  great  risks.  The  Damascus 
blades  are  the  handsomest  and  best  of  all  Syria,  and  it 
is  curious  to  observe  their  manner  of  burnishing  them. 
This  operation  is  performed  before  tempering,  and  they 
have,  for  this  purpose,  a  small  piece  of  wood,  in  which 
is  fixed  an  iron,  which  they  rub  up  and  down  the  blade, 
and  thus  clear  off  all  inequalities,  as  a  plane  does  to 
wood.  They  then  temper  and  polish  it.  This  polish  is 
so  highly  finished,  that,  when  any  one  wants  to  arrange 
his  turban,  he  uses  his  sword  for  a  looking-glass.  As  to 
its  temper,  it  is  perfect;  and  I  have  nowhere  seen 
swords  that  cut  so  excellently.  There  are  made  at 
Damascus,  and  in  the  adjoining  country,  mirrors  of  steel 
that  magnify  objects  like  burning  glasses.  I  have  seen 
some  that,  when  exposed  to  the  sun,  have  reflected  the 
heat  so  strongly  as  to  set  fire  to  a  plank  fifteen  or  six- 
teen feet  distant. 

I  bought  a  small  horse  that  turned  out  very  well. 
Before  my  departure  I  had  him  shod  at  Damascus,  and 
thence,  as  far  as  Bursa,  which  is  near  fifty  days'  journey, 
so  well  do  they  shoe  their  horses,  that  I  had  nothing  to 
do  with  his  feet,  excepting  one  of  the  fore  ones,  which 


62  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1432-33. 

was  pricked  by  a  nail,  and  made  him  lame  for  three 
weeks. 

The  men  of  fortune  carry  with  them,  when  they  ride, 
a  small  drum,  which  they  use  in  battle,  or  in  skirmishes, 
to  rally  their  men.  It  is  fastened  to  the  pommel  of  their 
saddles,  and  they  beat  on  it  with  a  piece  of  flat  leather. 
I  also  purchased  one,  with  spurs  and  vermilion-colored 
boots,  which  came  up  to  my  knees,  according  to  the 
custom  of  the  country.  As  a  mark  of  my  gratitude  to 
Hoyarbarach  I  went  to  offer  him  a  pot  of  green  ginger, 
but  he  refused  it,  and  it  was  by  dint  of  prayers  and  en- 
treaties that  I  prevailed  on  him  to  accept  it.  I  had  no 
other  pledge  for  my  security  than  what  I  have  mentioned, 
but  I  found  him  full  of  frankness  and  good-will  —  more, 
perhaps,  than  I  should  have  found  in  many  Christians. 
God,  who  had  protected  me  in  the  accomplishment  of 
this  journey,  brought  me  acquainted  with  a  Jew  of 
Caiffa,  who  spoke  the  Tartar  and  Italian  languages,  and 
I  requested  him  to  assist  me  in  putting  down  in  writing 
the  names  of  everything  I  might  have  occasion  to  want 
for  myself  and  my  horse  while  on  the  road.  On  our 
arrival,  the  first  day's  journey,  at  Bailee  I  drew  out  my 
paper  to  know  how  to  ask  for  barley  and  chopped  straw, 
which  I  wanted  to  give  my  horse.  Ten  or  twelve  Turks 
near  me,  observing  my  action,  burst  into  laughter,  and 
coming  nearer  to  examine  my  paper  seemed  as  much 
surprised  at  our  writing  as  we  are  with  theirs.  They 
took  a  liking  to  me,  and  made  every  effort  to  teach  me 
to  speak  Turkish.  They  were  never  weary  of  making 
me  often  repeat  the  same  thing,  and  pronounced  it  so 
many  different  ways  that  I  could  not  fail  to  retain  it ;  so, 
when  we  separated,  I  knew  how  to  call  for  everything 


1432-33-  IMAGE   OF  THE    VIRGIN.  63 

necessary  for  myself  and  horse.  During  the  stay  of  the 
caravan  at  Damascus,  I  made  a  pilgrimage,  about  sixteen 
miles  distant,  to  our  Lady  of  Serdenay.  To  arrive  there 
we  traversed  a  mountain  a  full  quarter  of  a  mile  in 
length,  to  which  the  gardens  of  Damascus  extend.  We 
then  descended  into  a  delightful  valley,  full  of  vineyards 
and  gardens,  with  a  handsome  fountain  of  excellent 
water.  Here,  on  a  rock,  has  been  erected  a  small  castle, 
with  a  church  of  green  monks,  having  a  portrait  of  the 
Virgin  painted  on  wood,  whose  head  has  been  carried 
thither  miraculously,  but  in  what  manner  I  am  ignorant. 
It  is  added  that  it  always  sweats  and  that  this  sweat  is 
an  oil.  All  I  can  say  is,  that  when  I  went  thither  I  was 
shown  at  the  end  of  the  church,  behind  the  great  altar, 
a  niche  formed  in  the  wall,  where  I  saw  the  image,  which 
was  a  ftat  thing,  and  might  be  about  one  foot  and  a  half 
high  by  one  foot  wide.  I  cannot  say  whether  it  is  of 
wood  or  stone,  for  it  was  entirely  covered  with  clothes. 
The  front  was  closed  with  an  iron  trellis,  and  under- 
neath was  the  vase  containing-  the  oil.  A  woman  ac- 
costed me,  and  with  a  silver  spoon  moved  aside  the 
clothes,  and  wanted  to  anoint  me  with  the  sign  of  the 
cross  on  the  forehead,  the  temples,  and  breast.  I  believe 
this  was  a  mere  trick  to  get  money,  nevertheless  I  do 
not  mean  to  say  that  Our  Lady  may  not  have  more 
power  than  this  image. 

I  returned  to  Damascus,  and,  on  the  evening  of  the 
departure  of  the  caravan,  settled  my  affairs  and  my 
conscience  as  if  I  had  been  at  the  point  of  death ;  for 
suddenly  I  found  myself  in  great  trouble.  I  have  before 
mentioned  the  messenger  whom  the  sultan  had  sent  with 
orders  to  arrest  all  the  Genoese  and  Catalonian  mer- 


64  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1432-33. 

chants  found  within  his  dominions.  By  virtue  of  this 
order  my  host,  who  was  a  Genoese,  was  arrested,  his 
effects  seized,  and  a  Moor  placed  in  his  house  to  take 
care  of  him.  I  endeavored  to  save  all  I  could  for  him ; 
and  that  the  Moor  might  not  notice  it,  I  made  him 
drunk.  I  was  arrested  in  my  turn,  and  carried  before 
one  of  their  cadies,  who  are  considered  as  somewhat 
like  our  bishops,  and  have  the  office  of  administering 
justice.  This  cadi  turned  me  over  to  another  cadi,  who 
sent  me  to  prison  with  the  merchants,  although  he  knew 
I  was  not  one;  but  this  disagreeable  affair  had  been 
brought  on  me  by  an  interpreter,  who  wanted  to  extort 
money  from  me,  as  he  had  before  attempted  on  my  first 
journey  hither.  Had  it  not  been  for  Antoine  Mour- 
rourzin,  the  Venetian  consul,  I  must  have  paid  a  sum 
of  money  \  but  I  remained  in  prison ;  and,  in  the  mean 
time,  the  caravan  set  off.  The  consul,  to  obtain  my 
liberty,  was  forced  to  make  intercession,  conjointly  with 
the  governor  of  Damascus,  alleging  that  I  had  been 
arrested  without  cause,  which  the  interpreter  well  knew. 

The  governor  sent  for  a  Genoese,  named  Gentil  Im- 
perial, a  merchant  employed  by  the  sultan  to  purchase 
slaves  for  him  at  Caiffa.  He  asked  me  who  I  was,  and 
my  business  at  Damascus.  On  my  replying  that  I  was 
a  Frenchman  returning  from  a  pilgrimage  to  Jerusalem, 
he  said  they  had  done  wrong  to  detain  me,  and  that  I 
might  depart  when  I  pleased. 

I  accordingly  set  off,  accompanied  by  a  moucre,  whom 
I  had  first  charged  to  carry  my  Turkish  dress  out  of  the 
town,  because  a  Christian  is  not  permitted  to  wear  a 
white  turban  there.  At  a  short  distance  a  mountain 
rises,  on  which  I  was  shown  a  house  said  to  have  been 
that  of  Cain !     During  the  first  day  we  travelled  over 


H32-33-         TURKISH  HABIT  OP  TRA  VEL.  65 

mountains,  but  the  road  was  good.  On  the  second  day 
we  entered  a  fine  country,  which  continued  cheerful 
until  we  came  to  Balbeck.  My  moucre  there  quitted  me, 
as  I  had  overtaken  the  caravan.  It  was  encamped  near 
a  river,  on  account  of  the  great  heat  of  these  parts  \  the 
nights  are  nevertheless  very  cold,  which  will  scarcely 
be  believed,  and  the  dews  exceedingly  heavy.  I  waited 
on  Hoyarbarach,  who  confirmed  the  permission  he  had 
granted  me  to  accompany  him,  and  recommended  me 
not  to  quit  the  caravan. 

On  the  morrow  morning,  at  eleven  o'clock,  I  gave  my 
horse  water,  with  oats  and  straw,  according  to  the  cus- 
tom of  our  countries.  This  time  the  Turks  said  nothing 
to  me  \  but  at  six  o'clock  in  the  evening,  when,  having 
given  him  water,  I  was  about  fastening  the  bag,  that  he 
might  eat,  they  opposed  it  and  took  off  the  bag;  for 
they  will  not  suffer  their  horses  to  eat  but  during  the 
night,  and  will  not  allow  one  to  begin  eating  before  the 
rest,  unless  when  they  are  at  grass.  The  captain  of 
the  caravan  had  with  him  a  mameluke  of  the  sultan,  who 
was  a  Circassian,  and  going  to  Caramania  in  search  of 
a  brother.  This  man,  seeing  me  alone  and  ignorant  of 
the  language  of  the  country,  charitably  wished  to  serve 
me  as  a  companion,  and  took  me  with  him ;  but,  as  he 
had  no  tent,  we  were  often  obliged  to  pass  the  nights 
under  trees  in  gardens.  It  was  then  that  I  was  obliged 
to  learn  to  sleep  on  the  ground,  to  drink  nothing  but 
water,  and  to  sit  cross-legged.  This  posture  was  at 
first  painful,  but  it  was  still  more  so  to  accustom  myself 
to  sit  on  my  horse  with  such  very  short  stirrups,  and 
I  suffered  so  much  that,  when  I  had  dismounted,  I  could 
not  remount  without  assistance ;  but  after  a  little  time 
this  manner  seemed  even  more  convenient  than  ours. 

5 


66  STORIES  OF  ADVEATTURE.  1432-33- 

That  same  evening  I  supped  with  the  mameluke  ;  but 
we  had  only  bread,  cheese,  and  milk.  I  had,  when  eat- 
ing, a  table-cloth,  like  the  rich  men  of  the  country. 
These  cloths  are  four  feet  in  diameter,  and  round,  hav- 
ing strings  attached  to  them,  so  that  they  may  be  drawn 
up  like  a  purse.  When  they  are  used  they  are  spread 
out ;  and  when  the  meal  is  over,  they  are  drawn  up 
with  all  that  remains  within  them,  without  their  losing  a 
crumb  of  bread  or  a  raisin.  But  I  observed  that, 
whether  their  repast  had  been  good  or  bad,  they  never 
failed  to  return  thanks  aloud  to  God. 

Balbeck  is  a  good  town,  well  inclosed  with  walls,  and 
tolerably  commercial.  In  the  centre  is  a  castle,  built 
with  very  large  stones.  At  present  it  contains  a  mosque, 
in  which,  it  is  said,  there  is  a  human  skull  with  eyes  so 
enormous  that  a  man  may  pass  his  head  through  their 
openings.  I  cannot  affirm  this  for  fact,  as  none  but 
Saracens  may  enter  the  mosque.  ...  As  my  com- 
panion, the  mameluke,  and  myself  had  no  tent,  we  fixed 
our  quarters  in  a  garden.  There  we  were  joined  by  two 
Turcomans  of  Satalia,  returning  from  Mecca,  who 
supped  with  us.  These  men,  seeing  me  well  clothed 
and  well  mounted,  having  a  handsome  sword  and  well- 
furnished  tarquais,  proposed  to  the  mameluke,  as  he 
afterwards  owned  when  we  separated,  to  make  away 
with  me,  considering  that  I  was  but  a  Christian  and 
unworthy  of  being  in  their  company.  He  answered  that, 
since  I  had  eaten  bread  and  salt  with  them,  it  would  be 
a  great  crime ;  that  it  was  forbidden  by  law ;  and  that, 
after  all,  God  had  created  the  Christians  as  well  as  the 
Saracens.  They,  however,  persisted  in  their  design ; 
and  as  I  testified  a  desire  of  seeing  Aleppo,  the  most 
considerable  town  in  Syria  after  Damascus,  they  pressed 


•  «  •  •  « 

••• 

•  •  •  •• 


.••"•. 

«•.• 


1432-33-         BERTRANDON  IN  PALESTINE.  6/ 

me  to  join  them.  I  was  ignorant  of  their  intention,  and 
accepted  their  offer ;  but  I  am  now  convinced  they  only 
wanted  to  cut  my  throat.  The  mameluke  forbade  them 
to  come  any  more  near  us,  and  by  this  means  saved  my 
life. 

We  set  out  from  Balbeck  two  hours  before  day,  and 
our  caravan  consisted  of  from  four  to  five  hundred  per- 
sons, with  six  or  seven  hundred  camels  and  mules ;  for 
it  had  great  quantities  of  spicery.  I  will  describe  the 
order  of  its  march.  The  caravan  has  a  very  large 
drum ;  and  the  moment  the  chief  orders  the  departure, 
three  loud  strokes  are  beaten.  Every  one  then  makes 
himself  ready,  and  when  prepared,  joins  the  file  without 
uttering  a  word.  Ten  of  our  people  would,  in  such 
cases,  make  more  noise  than  a  thousand  of  theirs. 

Thus  they  march  in  silence,  unless  it  be  at  night,  or 
that  any  one  should  sing  a  song  celebrating  the  heroic 
deeds  of  their  ancestors.  At  the  break  of  day,  two  or 
three,  placed  at  a  great  distance  from  each  other,  cry 
out  and  answer  one  another,  as  is  done  from  the  towers 
of  the  mosques  at  the  usual  hours.  In  short,  a  little 
before  and  after  sunrise,  devout  people  make  their  cus- 
tomary prayers  and  oblations.  To  perform  these  obla- 
tions, if  they  be  near  a  rivulet,  they  dismount,  and  with 
feet  naked,  they  wash  their  whole  bodies.  Should  there 
be  no  rivulet  near,  at  the  usual  time  for  these  ceremo- 
nies, they  pass  their  hands  over  their  bodies.  The  last 
among  them  washes,  and  then  turns  to  the  south,  when 
all  raise  two  fingers  in  the  air,  prostrate  themselves,  and 
kiss  the  ground  thrice ;  they  then  rise  up  and  say  their 
prayers.  Persons  of  rank,  to  avoid  failing  in  their 
performance,  always  carry,  when  they  travel,  leathern 
bottles  full  of  water,  which  are  suspended  under  the 


68  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1432-33. 

bellies   of  camels   or  horses,   and   are  generally  very 
handsome. 

The  Turks  bear  well  fatigue  and  a  hard  life ;  they  are 
not  incommoded,  as  I  have  witnessed,  during  the  whole 
journey,  by  sleeping  on  the  ground  like  animals.  They 
are  of  a  gay,  cheerful  humor,  and  willingly  sing  songs 
of  the  heroic  deeds  of  their  ancestors.  Any  one,  there- 
fore, who  wishes  to  live  with  them  must  not  be  grave  or 
melancholy,  but  always  have  a  smiling  countenance. 
They^  are  also  men  of  probity,  and  charitable  toward 
each  other.  I  have  often  observed,  that  should  a  poor 
person  pass  by  when  they  are  eating,  they  would  invite 
him  to  partake  of  their  meal,  which  is  a  thing  we  never 
do. 


IV. 

GEOFFREY  OF  VINSAUF. 

THE  children  were  talking,  at  their  next  meeting,  of 
the  curious  question,  what  makes  one  book  inter- 
esting while  another  is  dull. 

"  You  can  almost  tell,"  said  Hester,  "  when  you  open 
a  book,  whether  it  will  be  entertaining.  It  seems  as  if 
there  were  something  in  the  look  of  the  page." 

Uncle  Fritz  set  them  to  guessing  what  were  the  easiest 
hooks  for  foreigners  to  read,  in  learning  English.  He 
told  them  that  "  The  Vicar  of  Wakefield  "  is  one  of  the 
books  given  to  all  beginners.  This  is  because  the  Eng- 
lish style  is  so  simple. 

"  What  makes  books  interesting  to  young  people,"  he 
said,  "and,  for  that  matter,  to  old  people,  is  human 
incident ;  and  the  more  life-like  this  incident,  —  nay,  the 
more  detail  in  it,  within  certain  limits,  of  human  affairs, 
—  the  more  will  it  interest  the  average  reader." 

Blanche  said  that  she  was  on  the  top  of  Mt.  Wash- 
ington once,  when  Mr.  Alger  happened  to  be  there. 
When  he  saw  how  she  pointed  out  every  chimney-smoke 
and  every  shed  or  barn,  which  relieved  the  wide  spread 
of  uninhabited  forest,  he  told  her  it  was  the  "human 
pathos"  which  gave  interest  to  the  scene. 

That  is  an  admirable  observation,  and  the  expression 
is  worth  remembering. 


yo  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1880. 

"  Do  you  remember,"  said  Uncle  Fritz,  "  how  much 
interest  you  took  in  Plutarch's  Lives  ?  That  is  be- 
cause they  are  all  crowded  with  personal  anecdotes  of 
the  men  he  describes.  In  these  bits  of  real  life  we  see 
the  men.  It  is  as  you  look  on  a  street  at  night,  when 
there  is  a  flash  of  lightning.  You  see  the  comers  and 
goers  for  that  instant,  and,  when  another  flash  comes, 
you  see  them  again.  For  the  moment  you  see  them 
well. 

"  Now  our  modern  school  of  biography  is  very  apt  to 
drag  us  through  the  book,  and  yet  not  let  us  see  the  man 
once  plainly.  'Whether  Mr.  Smith  were  descended  from 
Reginald  Smythe,  who  crossed  with  the  Conqueror,  or 
from  Thomas  the  smith,  who  held  the  forge  at  the  manor 
of  Shoebury,  is  not  well  known.  The  family  first  ap- 
pears on  the  American  registers  in  the  person  of  John 
Smith,  who,  with  his  wife  Mary,  crossed  in  the  Cat,  Jones, 
master,  in  1629,'  and  so  on,  and  so  on. 

"  Ah  me  !  I  have  read  miles  of  such  biographies. 

"  It  is  just  so  with  histories  and  books  of  travel,"  con- 
tinued Uncle  Fritz.  "  If  the  man  will  tell  you  something 
about  some  real  people,  you  will  read.  But  if  he  says, 
'  The  army  this  day  advanced  through  an  open  country,* 
or  '  The  fleet  this  day  lay  by,  waiting  for  orders/  you  skip, 
if  you  dare,  because  *  army '  and  *  fleet '  do  not  interest 
you  as  Richard  and  Saladin  do." 

Alice  said  she  supposed  this  was  the  reason  why 
novels  are  pleasanter  reading  than  the  dull  histories. 

Uncle  Fritz  smiled  his  approval,  because  he  saw  that 
the  girl  had  listened  intelligently  so  far ;  and  Alice  said 
that  they  had  been  reading  Scott's  novel  of  "  The  Talis- 
man "  aloud,  as  they  met  to  make  baby-clothing  in  their 
"  Lend-a-Hand  Club."     They  had  just  come  to  the  loss 


l88o.  INTERESTING  BOOKS.  yi 

of  the  banner,  and  they  wanted  terribly  to  look  forward 
and  see  what  happened  to  the  brave  Scot. 

"  While  you  are  waiting,"  said  Uncle  Fritz,  "  suppose 
we  take  down  the  true  story  of  the  Siege  of  Acre."  So 
he  sent  Fanchon  for  the  book,  which  proved  to  be  the 
next  volume  of  Bohn's  Antiquarian  Library  to  that 
which  had  the  travels  of  Sir  John  Mandeville. 

Uncle  Fritz  gave  it  to  Alice  to  read  about  the  Siege 
of  Acre.  But,  as  she  looked  for  that,  she  came  to  some 
earlier  passages  first,  describing  the  start  for  the  Third 
Crusade ;  and  once  and  again  the  children  recognized 
scraps  which  Sir  Walter  Scott  had  used. 

The  book  is  by  Geoffrey  of  Vinsauf.  It  is  called  the 
Itinerary  of  Richard  I.  As  you  will  see,  it  has  no  lack 
of  personal  anecdote,  or  "human  pathos." 

Saladin  had  got  possession  of  nearly  all  the  kingdom, 
and  everything  succeeded  to  his  wishes.  Elated  with 
his  proud  triumphs,  he  talked  in  magnificent  terms  of 
the  law  of  Mahomet,  and  pointed  to  the  result  of  his 
enterprise  as  a  proof  that  it  was  superior  to  the  law  of 
Christ.  These  insolent  vaunts  he  often  threw  out  in  the 
presence  of  the  Christians,  one  of  whom,  well  known  to 
him  for  his  loquacity,  on  a  certain  occasion,  inspired  by 
the  Almighty,  turned  him  into  ridicule  by  the  following 
reply ;  "  God,  who  is  the  Father  of  the  faithful,  judging 
the  Christians  worthy  of  reproof  for  their  crimes,  has 
chosen  thee,  O  prince,  as  his  agent  in  this  matter. 
Thus,  sometimes,  a  worldly  father  in  anger  seizes  a  dirty 
stick  out  of  the  mire,  wherewith  when  he  has  chastised 
his  erring  sons  he  throws  it  back  among  the  filth  where 
he  found  it." 

Whilst  these  things  were  done  in  Palestine  the  Arch- 


72  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  X189, 

bishop  of  Tyre  had  embarked  on  shipboard,  and  already 
reported  to  Christendom  the  news  of  this  great  calamity,^ 
and  the  affliction  of  so  small  a  kingdom  was  felt  as  a 
calamity  over  many  countries.  Fame  had  carried  to  the 
ears  of  all  the  kings  and  of  all  the  faithful,  that  the 
inheritance  of  Christ  was  occupied  by  the  heathen. 
Some  were  affected  to  tears  by  the  news,  and  some  were 
stimulated  to  vengeance.  First  of  all,  Richard,  the  brave 
Earl  of  Poitou,  assumed  the  cross  to  avenge  its  wrongs, 
and  took  the  lead  of  all,  inviting  others  by  his  example. 
His  father  Henry,  King  of  England,  was  now  declining 
in  years ;  yet  the  young  man  was  not  deterred  by  either 
his  father's  advanced  age,  or  his  own  right  to  the  throne, 
or  the  difficulties  of  so  long  a  voyage ;  no  arguments 
could  deter  him  from  his  purpose.  The  Almighty,  to 
reward  the  valor  of  this  brave  man,  whom  he  had  chosen 
to  be  the  first  inciter  of  the  others,  reserved  him,  after 
the  other  princes  were  dead  or  returned  to  their  own 
country,  to  achieve  his  great  work. 

Some  time  after,  Philip,  King  of  France,  and  Henry, 
King  of  England,  took  the  cross  at  Gisors,  followed  by 
the  nobles  of  both  kingdoms,  with  numbers  of  the 
clergy  and  laity,  —  all  with  equal  aspirations,  bent  upon 
the  same  design.  So  great  was  the  ardor  of  this  new 
pilgrimage,  that  it  was  no  longer  a  question  of  who 
would  take  the  cross,  but  who  had  not  yet  taken  it. 
Several  persons  sent  a  present  of  a  distaff  and  wool  to 
one  another,  as  a  significant  hint  that  whosoever  de- 
clined the  campaign  would  degrade  himself  as  much  as 
if  he  did  the  duties  of  a  woman  :  wives  urged  their  hus- 
bands, mothers  their  sons,  to  devote  themselves  to  this 

»  The  news  of  Saladin's  victories  in  Tyre,  Antioch,  Acre,  etc 


KING   HENRY   II.   OF  ENGLAND 


1 189.  EVERYBODY  TAKES  THE   CROSS.  73 

noble  contest;  and  they  only  regretted  that  the  weakness 
of  their  sex  prevented  themselves  from  going  also.  The 
renown  of  this  expedition  spread  so  extraordinarily, 
that  many  migrated  from  the  cloister  to  the  camp,  and, 
exchanging  the  cowl  for  the  cuirass,  showed  themselves 
truly  Christ's  soldiers,  in  quitting  their  libraries  for  the 
study  of  arms.  The  prelates  of  the  churches  publicly 
preached  to  one  another  the  virtue  of  abstinence,  ad- 
monishing all  men  that,  laying  aside  all  extravagance 
in  dress,  they  should  refrain  from  their  accustomed 
luxuries. 

It  was  agreed  also,  both  among  nobles  and  bishops, 
by  common  consent,  that  to  maintain  the  pilgrims  that 
were  poor,  those  who  remained  at  home  should  pay 
tithes  of  their  property ;  but  the  flagitious  cupidity  of 
many  took  advantage  of  this  to  lay  heavy  and  undue 
exactions  upon  their  subjects.  ...  In  process  of  time, 
Frederic,  the  Roman  emperor,  assumed  the  insignia  of 
the  holy  pilgrimage,  and  displayed,  both  outwardly  in 
his  dress,  and  inwardly  in  his  .heart,  the  form  of  a  true 
pilgrim.  So  great  a  king,  whose  empire  was  bounded 
on  the  north  by  the  Northern  Ocean,  on  the  south  by 
the  Mediterranean  Sea,  whose  glory  was  augmented  by 
continual  victories,  whose  fortune  had  experienced  no 
check,  resigns  every  pleasure  and  blandishment  of  the 
world,  and  humbly  girds  on  his  sword  to  fight  for 
Christ.  His  bravery,  especially  in  his  declining  years, 
is  no  less  to  be  wondered  at  than  praised ;  for  though 
he  was  an  old  man  and  had  sons,  whose  age  and  valor 
seemed  better  fitted  to  military  service,  yet  esteeming 
them  insufficient,  he  took  upon  himself  the  charge  of  de- 
fending Christianity;  but  when  his  sons  urged  him  to 
let  them  discharge  the  task  which  he  had  undertaken, 


^4  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  119a 

either  in  his  stead  or  in  his  company,  he  left  his  eldest 
son  to  govern  his  empire,  and  the  younger,  whom  he 
had  created  Duke  of  Suabia,  he  took  with  him  on  the 
expedition ;  and  because  the  imperial  majesty  never 
assails  any  one  without  sending  a  defiance,  but  always 
gives  notice  of  war  to  his  enemies,  a  herald  is  dis- 
patched from  the  emperor  to  Saladin,  calling  upon  him 
to  give  full  satisfaction  to  Christendom,  which  he  has 
injured,  or  failing  to  do  so,  to  prepare  himself  for  war. 

The  princes  of  all  the  empire  followed  him,  and  when 
they  were  met  at  Mayence,  according  to  the  imperial 
edict,  all  of  them  joined  with  one  acclaim  in  taking  the 
vow  of  so  noble  a  pilgrimage.     .     .     . 

Thus,  then,  led  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  they  flocked  to- 
gether on  every  side ;  and  whoever  could  have  seen  so 
many  nations  and  princes  under  one  commander  must 
have  believed  that  the  ancient  glory  of  Rome  was  not 
yet  departed. 

In  this  army  of  Christ  were  pontifTs,  dukes,  earls, 
marquises,  and  other  nobles  without  number ;  for  if  we 
were  to  recapitulate  their  names  and  territories,  the 
writer  would  become  tedious,  his  reader  be  disgusted, 
and  his  plan  of  brevity  be  overthrown.  It  was  deter- 
mined by  a  prudent  council  that  no  one  should  go  on 
this  expedition  whose  means  could  not  provide  him 
with  supplies  for  one  year.  A  large  number  of  car- 
riages were  constructed  for  the  use  of  the  pilgrims  who 
should  be  sick,  that  they  might  neither  give  trouble  to 
the  sound,  nor  be  left  behind  and  perish.  It  had  long 
been  a  question  whether  the  mass  of  the  army  should 
proceed  by  sea  or  land.  But  it  seemed  that  any  num- 
ber of  ships,  however  large,  would  be  insufficient  to 


II90.  BATTLE    WITH  THE    TURKS.  75 

transport  so  great  a  multitude.  The  emperor,  therefore, 
urging  on  the  task  which  he  had  undertaken,  deter- 
mined to  march  through  Hungary ;  and  so,  though  he 
was  the  last  sovereign  who  took  the  vow  of  pilgrimage, 
he  was  the  first  to  carry  it  into  effect.  .  .  .  Our  army, 
having  entered  the  territories  of  the  Turks,  experienced 
no  hostility  during  several  days.  The  sultan  wished  by 
his  forbearance  to  allure  them  into  the  heart  of  his 
dominions,  until  want  of  food  and  the  asperities  of  the 
road  should  give  him  more  ready  means  of  annoying 
them.  That  nefarious  traitor  had  seized  the  rugged 
mountain-tops,  the  thickets  of  the  woods,  and  the  im- 
passable rivers ;  and  whilst  he  professed  to  observe  the 
treaty  which  he  had  made,  he  opposed  arrows  and 
stones  to  our  passage.  This  was  the  market  and  the 
safe-conduct  which  he  had  promised  us.  Such  is  the 
faith  that  must  be  placed  in  the  unbelievers;  they 
always  esteem  valor  and  treachery  as  equally  praise- 
worthy towards  an  enemy. 

Moreover,  they  avoid,  above  all  things,  coming  to 
close  quarters  and  fighting  hand  to  hand ;  but  they 
shower  their  arrows  from  a  distance ;  and  with  them  it 
is  no  less  glory  to  flee,  than  to  put  their  enemies  to 
flight.  They  attack  both  extremities  of  the  army,  at  one 
time  the  rear,  at  another  time  the  van ;  that,  if  by  any 
chance  they  can  be  separated,  they  may  attack  either 
the  one  or  the  other  by  itself.  Night  brought  with  it 
neither  sleep  nor  rest;  for  a  terrific  clamor  disturbed 
the  army  on  every  side.  A  shower  of  javelins  pierced 
through  their  tents;  numbers  of  them  were  slain  asleep, 
and  the  enemy  hung  on  them  so  incessantly  that  for 
six  weeks  they  ate  their  meals  under  arms  and  slept 
under  arms,  without  taking  off  their  coats  of  mail.     At 


76  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  119a 

the  same  time  they  were  assailed  by  such  violent  hunger 
and  thirst,  that  when  they  lost  their  horses  by  the 
chances  of  war,  it  was  to  them  a  consolation  and  source 
of  delight  to  feed  on  horse-flesh  and  drink  the  blood ; 
in  this  manner,  by  the  ingenuity  which  necessity  teaches, 
they  found  out  an  additional  use  for  the  animals  on 
which  they  rode. 

There  was  a  place  between  high  rocks  which  was 
rendered  so  difficult  to  pass  by  reason  of  the  steep 
ascent  and  the  narrowness  of  the  paths  that  when  the 
first  division  of  the  army,  led  by  the  emperor's  son,  had 
passed  through,  the  Turks  suddenly  rushed  from  their 
ambush  on  the  last  division,  and  in  their  confidence  of 
victory,  attacked  them  with  lance  and  sword.  The 
alarming  news  was  carried  to  the  duke,  who  returned 
with  headlong  haste  upon  his  march,  eagerly  retracing 
all  the  difficulties  which  he  had  a  little  before  rejoiced 
at  having  surmounted.  His  rage  heeded  not  danger; 
his  cavalry  were  made  to  gallop  where,  before,  they 
could  not  even  walk.  In  this  manner,  whilst  he  was 
anxiously  and  incautiously  seeking  for  his  father  on 
every  side,  and  incessantly  shouting  his  father's  name, 
his  helmet  was  struck  off  by  a  stone,  and  his  teeth 
knocked  out,  yet  still  he  remained  immovable  and 
unshaken.  ...  At  last,  after  many  severe  attacks,  the 
army  arrives  at  Iconium,  where  that  wicked  traitor  had 
shut  himself  within  the  walls  of  the  city.  Our  soldiers 
pitched  their  tents  at  no  great  distance,  uncertain  what 
new  disasters  the  morrow  might  bring  with  it. 

It  was  now  about  the  end  of  Whitsuntide,  and  that 
same  night  so  violent  and  sudden  a  storm  burst  upon 
them  that  its  fury  was  felt  even  within  the  camp.  In 
the  morning,  when  the  clouds  were  dispersed,  the  sky 


1190.  COURAGE   OF  FREDERIC,  JJ 

became  clear,  and  behold  !  the  Turkish  army  appear 
around  on  every  side,  with  trumpets,  drums,  and  horrid 
clang,  ready  to  attack.  They  had  never  before  been 
seen  in  such  multitudes,  nor  could  they  have  been  con- 
ceived to  have  been  so  numerous.  All  this  multitude 
had  been  roused  to  arms  by  the  sultan's  son,  Melkin, 
who  wished  to  anticipate  his  father-in-law  Saladin's 
victory,  and,  trusting  in  the  number  and  valor  of  his 
men,  was  confident  of  success.  Meanwhile  the  sultan 
had  ascended  a  lofty  tower,  where  he  sat  in  expectation, 
eying  the  country  beneath  him,  and  the  armies  that 
were  ready  to  engage ;  and  hoping  in  a  short  time  to 
see  accomplished  what  his  sanguine  mind  had  promised. 
The  emperor,  seeing  some  of  his  men  alarmed  at  the 
unusual  multitude  of  the  enemy,  displayed  the  con- 
fidence of  a  noble  chieftain,  and  raising  his  hands  to 
heaven,  gave  thanks  to  God,  in  the  sight  of  all,  that 
the  inevitable  necessity  was  at  length  arrived  for  that 
combat  which  had  so  long  been  deferred  by  the  flight 
of  the  enemy. 

At  these  words  all  were  inspired  with  fresh  ardor  as 
they  looked  on  the  emperor's  placid  countenance,  and 
one  old  man,  weak  though  he  was,  supplied  an  incentive 
of  valor  to  many  who  were  young  and  strong.  What 
God  is  so  great  as  our  God }  All  that  multitude,  who 
were  so  sure  of  victory  that  they  brought  chains  with 
them  rather  than  swords,  were  overthrown  in  a  moment, 
and  at  once  the  city  was  taken  and  occupied,  and  the 
enemy  without  vanquished ;  everywhere  were  blood  and 
death  and  heaps  of  slain ;  their  number  impedes  their 
flight,  and  they  fall  by  those  very  means  on  which  they 
had  counted  for  triumph.  The  battle  is  now  fought 
hand  to  hand;  the   bows   are   snapped  asunder;  the 


yS  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1190. 

arrows  no  longer  fly,  and  they  have  scarcely  room  to 
wield  their  swords.  Thus  everything  is  thrown  into  con- 
fusion by  the  multitude,  and  what  our  enemies  intended 
for  our  ruin  turns  out  to  our  greater  glory ;  the  flying 
war,  which  had  been  waged  among  brambles  and  the 
gorges  of  rocks,  is  now  carried  on  in  a  fair  and  open 
field;  the  Christians  satiate  their  fury,  which  had  so 
often  been  put  forth  in  vain.  The  Turks  experience, 
against  their  will,  how  well  their  enemies  can  fight  hand 
to  hand  whom  they  had  so  often  provoked  at  a  distance. 
This  splendid  victory  was  not  granted  unworthily  by  the 
Divine  excellence  to  His  faithful  servants ;  for  they 
observed  chastity  in  the  camp  and  discipline  when 
under  arms ;  in  all,  and  above  all,  was  the  fear  of  the 
Lord ;  with  all  was  the  love  of  their  neighbor ;  all  were 
united  in  brotherly  affection  as  they  were  also  com- 
panions in  danger.     .     .     . 

The  victorious  army  now  enters  the  Armenian  terri- 
tories ;  all  rejoice  at  having  quitted  a  hostile  kingdom, 
and  at  their  arrival  in  the  country  of  the  faithful.  But, 
alas !  a  more  fatal  land  awaits  them,  which  is  to  ex- 
tinguish the  light  and  joy  of  all.  On  the  borders  of 
Armenia  there  was  a  place,  surrounded  on  one  side  by 
steep  mountains,  on  the  other  side  by  the  river  Selesius. 
Whilst  the  sumpter-horses  and  baggage  were  passing 
this  river  the  victorious  emperor  halted.  He  was  indeed 
an  illustrious  man,  of  stature  moderately  tall,  with  red 
hair  and  beard;  his  hair  was  partly  turning  gray,  his 
eyelids  were  prominent  and  his  eyes  sparkling;  his 
cheeks  short  and  wide  ;  his  breast  and  shoulders  broad ; 
in  all  other  respects  his  form  was  manly.  There  was  in 
him,  as  is  read  of  Socrates,  something  distinguished  and 
awful  j  for  his  look  denoted  the  firmness  of  his  mind, 


1 1 88.  SAD  FATE   OF  THE  EMPEROR.  79 

being  always  immovably  the  same,  neither  clouded  by 
grief,  nor  contracted  by  anger,  nor  relaxed  by  joy. 

He  so  much  reverenced  the  native  language  of  Ger- 
many that  although  he  was  not  ignorant  of  other 
languages  yet  he  always  conversed  with  ambassadors 
from  foreign  countries  by  means  of  an  interpreter. 

This  great  man  having  halted  some  time,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  sumpter-horses  crossing  the  river,  became 
at  last  impatient  of  delay,  and  wishing  to  accelerate  the 
march  he  prepares  to  cross  the  nearest  part  of  the 
stream,  so  as  to  get  in  front  of  the  sumpter-horses 
and  be  at  liberty  to  proceed.^  O  sea!  O  earth!  O 
heaven !  The  ruler  of  the  Roman  empire,  ever  august, 
in  whom  the  glory  of  ancient  Rome  again  flourished, 
its  honor  again  lived,  and  its  power  was  augmented, 
was  overwhelmed  in  the  waters  and  perished.  If  the 
mountains  of  Gilboa,  where  the  brave  ones  of  Israel 
were  slain,  deserved  to  be  deprived  of  the  dew  and  rain, 
what  imprecations  may  we  not  deservedly  utter  upon 
this  fatal  river,  which  overthrew  a  main  pillar  of  Chris- 
tendom ?  There  were  some  who  said  that  the  place  had 
been  marked  by  a  fatality  from  ancient  times,  and  that 
the  nearest  rock  had  long  borne  upon  it  these  words 
inscribed,  "  Here  the  greatest  of  men  shall  perish." 
The  lamentable  report  of  his  death  was  spread  around, 
and  filled  all  with  dismay.  If  we  search  all  the  tradi- 
tions of  history  and  the  fictions  of  romance,  concerning 
the  sorrows  of  mothers,  the  sighs  of  brides,  or  the  dis- 
tresses of  men  in  general,  the  present  grief  will  be  found 
to  be  without  example,  never  before  known  in  any  age, 
and  surpassing  all  tears  and  lamentations.     There  were 

^  This  was  the  river  of  Kalycadnns  in  Seleucia.  The  estimate  given  of 
Frederic  1.  by  Geoffrey  is  confirmed  by  other  history. 


8o  STORIES   OF  ADVENTURE.  1188. 

many  of  the  emperor's  domestics  present,  with  some  of 
his  kinsmen  and  his  son,  but  it  was  impossible  to  dis- 
tinguish them  amid  the  general  lamentation,  with  which 
all  and  each  lamented  the  loss  of  their  father  and  their 
lord.  This,  however,  was  a  consolation  to  all,  and  they 
all  returned  thanks  for  it  to  Divine  Providence,  that  he 
had  not  died  within  the  territories  of  the  infidels. 

In  the  mean  time  Christ's  soldiers,  who  had  been  con- 
veyed by  sea  to  the  succor  of  the  Holy  Land,  were 
laying  siege  to  Acre.  That  the  order  of  the  siege  may 
be  better  understood,  we  will  relate  it  from  the  begin- 
ning. Guy,  King  of  Jerusalem,  after  he  had  been  a 
year  in  captivity  at  Damascus,  was  released  by  Saladin, 
on  the  strict  promise  that  he  should  abjure  his  kingdom, 
and,  as  soon  as  possible,  go  into  exile  beyond  the  sea. 
The  clergy  of  the  kingdom  determine  to  release  the 
king  from  the  bond  of  his  oath  ;  both  because  what  is 
done  under  compulsion  deserves  to  be  annulled,  and 
because  the  bands  of  the  faithful  who  were  on  their 
way  would  find  in  him  a  head  and  a  leader.  It  was 
right,  indeed,  that  art  should  overreach,  and  that  the 
treachery  of  the  tyrant  should  be  deceived  by  its  own 
example.  .  .  .  But  God  so  ordered  it  that  the  counsel 
of  Belial  was  brought  to  nought ;  for  the  tyrant  was 
baffled  in  his  hopes  of  retaining  the  kingdom,  and  the 
king  was  released  by  the  sentence  of  the  clergy  from  the 
enormity  of  his  promise.  .  .  .  Thus,  then,  when  num- 
bers had  flocked  together  to  meet  the  king  at  Tripoli, 
the  minds  of  all  were  inspired  with  bravery,  so  that  they 
not  only  strove  to  keep  what  they  had  retained,  but  also 
to  recover  what  they  had  lost. 


Ii88.  SIEGE  OF  ACRE,  8 1 

After  a  while  the  king  assembled  his  army  and  pro- 
ceeded to  Tyre  ;  but,  demanding  admittance,  was  refused 
by  the  marquis,  though  the  city  had  been  committed  to 
his  custody  on  the  condition  that  it  should  be  restored 
to  the  king  and  the  heirs  of  the  kingdom.  Not  content 
with  this  injury  he  adds  insult  to  the  breach  of  faith,  for 
whenever  the  king's  messenger,  or  any  of  the  pilgrims, 
endeavored  to  enter  the  town,  they  were  treated  harshly, 
and  were  in  his  sight  no  better  than  Gentiles  and  pub- 
licans. But  the  Pisans,  who  possessed  no  small  part  of 
the  city,  would  not  be  induced  to  consent  to  his  perfidy, 
but  with  commendable  rebellion  stood  up  for  the  king's 
rights.  The  marquis  directed  not  only  insults  but  civil 
war  against  them,  and  they,  prudently  withdrawing  for  a 
time,  retired  with  others  from  the  city  to  the  army.  The 
troops  had  pitched  their  camp  in  an  open  plain,  but 
none  of  them  were  allowed  to  enter  the  city,  even  to 
buy  provisions,  and  they  all  found  an  enemy  where  they 
had  hoped  to  find  an  ally.  Whilst  these  events  were 
going  on  the  marquis  was  afflicted  by  a  complaint  to 
which  he  had  long  been  subject ;  but,  as  it  chanced  to 
assail  him  this  time  with  greater  violence  than  usual,  he 
conjectured  that  he  had  taken  poison.  Upon  this  he 
issued  a  harsh  edict  against  physicians  who  make 
potions ;  innocent  men  were  put  to  death  on  false  sus- 
picions, and  those  whose  province  it  was  to  heal  others 
now  found  the  practice  of  their  art  lead  to  their  own 
destruction.  The  king  was  urged  by  many  to  attack  the 
city,  but  he  prudently  dissembled  his  own  wrong,  and 
hastily  marched  with  all  the  army  he  could  collect  to 
besiege  the  town  of  Acre. 

There  were  seven  hundred  knights,  and  others  more 
numerous  still,  collected  out  of  all  Christendom ;  but  if 

6 


82  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1189. 

we  were  to  estimate  the  whole  army,  its  strength  did  not 
amount  altogether  to  nine  thousand  men.  At  the  end 
of  August,  on  St.  Augustin's  day,  two  years  after  the 
city  had  been  taken,  they  bravely  commenced  that  long 
and  difficult  siege,  which  was  protracted  during  two 
years  longer  before  the  city  surrendered.  The  Turks, 
from  the  battlements  of  the  walls,  beheld  the  army  ap- 
proach, but  without  knowing  who  they  were,  or  for  what 
they  came.  When  they  learnt  the  truth  they  feared  not 
their  approach,  and  treated  their  intentions  with  de- 
rision. The  men  of  Pisa,  who  chose  to  proceed  by  sea, 
as  shorter  and  easier,  approached  Acre  in  due  order  in 
their  ships  and  bravely  occupied  the  shore ;  where  they 
had  no  sooner  secured  a  station  than  they  formed  the 
siege  on  the  side  towards  the  sea  with  equal  courage 
and  perseverance.  The  king,  with  the  rest  of  his  army, 
fixed  his  tents  on  a  neighboring  hill,  commonly  called 
Mount  Turon,  from  which,  by  the  eminence  of  the 
ground,  he  overlooked  the  approach  both  by  sea  and 
land.  This  hill  was  higher  on  the  eastern  side  of  the 
city ;  and,  as  it  allowed  the  eye  to  rove  freely  round,  it 
gave  a  prospect  over  the  plain  on  all  sides,  far  and  wide. 
On  the  third  day  after  their  arrival  the  Christians  made 
an  assault  upon  the  town ;  and  deeming  it  tedious  to 
await  the  effect  of  engines  for  throwing  stones,  together 
with  other  machines,  they  trusted  to  the  defence  of  their 
shields  alone,  and  carried  scaling-ladders  to  mount  the 
walls.  That  day  would  have  put  a  happy  termination 
to  the  toil  of  so  many  days,  if  the  malice  of  the  ancient 
enemy  and  the  arrival  of  false  information  had  not  frus- 
trated their  achievement  when  it  was  almost  completed, 
for  it  was  reported  that  Saladin  was  at  hand,  and  our 
men  returned  with  speed  to  the  camp,  but  when  they 


1 189.  ASSAULT  ON  THE    TOWN.  83 

perceived  that  it  was  only  a  small  body  that  had  come 
in  advance  they  expressed  indignation  rather  than  com- 
plaint that  the  victory  had  been  snatched  from  them. 
They  were,  indeed,  few  that  had  come,  but  fear  had 
reported  that  an  innumerable  multitude  was  at  hand ; 
for  it  is  not  unusual  that  things  should  be  magnified 
through  terror. 

The  sultan,  at  this  time,  was  besieging  the  castle  of 
Belfort,  and  when  he  heard  what  was  going  on  he 
marched  in  haste  with  a  large  army  to  Acre.  Our  men, 
unequal  to  cope  with  him,  kept  themselves  within  the 
limits  before  described.  The  Turks  assailed  them  per- 
severingly,  both  morning  and  evening,  trying  every 
means  to  penetrate  to  the  hill-top ;  and  thus  those  who 
came  to  besiege  others  were  now  besieged  themselves. 
In  this  position,  then,  were  our  men  when  the  Morning 
Star  visited  them  from  on  high ;  for,  behold !  fifty  ships, 
such  as  are  commonly  called  coggs,  having  twelve  thou- 
sand armed  men  on  board,  are  seen  approaching,  —  a 
grateful  sight  to  our  men  on  account  of  the  strait  which 
they  were  in.  Grateful  is  that  which  comes  when  prayed 
for,  more  grateful  still  is  that  which  comes  contrary  to 
our  hope,  but  grateful  beyond  all  is  that  which  comes  to 
aid  us  in  the  last  necessity;  yet  ofttimes  we  suspend 
our  belief  concerning  a  thing  we  so  much  long  for,  and 
cannot  credit  what  we  so  much  desire.  Our  army,  from 
the  top  of  the  hill,  see  the  reinforcements  coming,  and 
dare  not  hope  for  an  event  so  joyful,  and  the  new 
comers,  also,  look  upon  the  camp  as  an  object  of  sus- 
picion. When,  however,  they  came  nearer  and  saw  the 
ensigns  of  the  Christian  faith,  a  shout  is  raised  on  both 
sides ;  their  joyful  feelings  find  vent  in  tears ;  they 
eagerly  flock  together  and  leap  into  the  waves  to  go 


84  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE,  1189L 

and  meet  them.  O  happy  fleet,  which,  sailing  from  the 
Northern  Ocean,  and  encountering  a  voyage  never 
before  tried,  passed  over  so  many  seas,  so  many  coasts, 
so  many  dangers,  and  came  from  Europe,  along  the 
shores  of  Africa,  to  succor  Asia  in  her  distress !  The 
crews  of  these  ships  were  Danes  and  Frisons,  men 
inured  to  labor  by  the  rigors  of  the  north,  and  having 
three  qualities  good  in  war,  —  large  limbs,  invincible 
minds,  and  devout  fervor  for  the  faith.  ...  To  Acre, 
then,  they  came ;  and,  having  pitched  their  camp  be- 
tween the  city  and  Mount  Turon,  they  turned  their 
invincible  prowess  to  the  destruction  of  the  enemy, 
whom  they  assailed,  not  by  frequent  skirmishes,  but  by 
one  continued  conflict;  for  their  prodigal  valor  and 
reckless  fury  exposed  them  to  so  many  dangers  that 
afterwards,  when  the  city  was  taken,  hardly  a  hundred 
men  remained  alive  out  of  the  twelve  thousand. 

At  a  season  of  calm,  when  Easter  was  close  at  hand, 
the  marquis  at  our  request  returned  from  Tyre,  with  a 
large  equipment  and  supplies  of  men,  arms,  and  pro- 
visions. For  by  the  provident  care  of  the  chiefs,  the 
king  and  marquis  were  pacified  on  the  pretext  that  the 
marquis  should  have  possession  of  Tyre,  Berytus,  and 
Sidon,  and  on  condition  that  he  should  be  faithful  and 
strenuous  for  the  interests  of  the  king  and  his  kingdom. 

At  length  the  towns-people  liked  not  their  privation 
of  liberty,  and  determined  to  try  the  issue  of  a  sea-fight. 
They,  therefore,  led  forth  their  galleys  by  twos,  and 
keeping  good  order  they  rowed  into  the  offing  to  meet 
and  attack  those  that  were  coming ;  our  men  prepared 
to  meet  them  as  they  came  on,  and  since  there  was  no 


H89.  A  SEA-FIGHT.  85 

means  of  getting  away,  prepared  to  face  them  with 
greater  resolution.  On  the  other  hand  our  men  got  on 
board  our  war-ships,  and  straining  to  the  left  by  an  ob- 
lique course,  retreated  to  a  distance  and  gave  the  enemy 
free  means  of  egress.  The  sea  was  perfectly  tranquil 
and  calm,  as  if  it  favored  the  battle,  and  the  rippling 
wave  impeded  neither  the  shock  of  the  attacking  ship 
nor  the  stroke  of  the  oars.  As  they  closed,  the  trumpets 
sounded  on  both  sides.  A  terrific  clang  is  roused,  and 
the  battle  is  commenced  by  the  throwing  of  missiles. 
Our  men  implore  the  Divine  assistance  and  ply  their 
oars  strenuously,  and  dash  at  the  enemy's  ships  with 
their  beaks.  Soon  the  battle  began ;  the  oars  become 
entangled  and  they  fight  hand  to  hand,  having  grappled 
each  others'  ships  together,  and  they  fire  the  decks 
with  burning  oil,  which  is  vulgarly  called  Greek  fire. 
That  kind  of  fire,  with  a  detestable  stench  and  livid 
flames,  consumes  both  flint  and  steel ;  it  cannot  be  ex- 
tinguished by  water,  but  is  subdued  by  the  sprinkling  of 
sand,  and  put  out  by  pouring  vinegar  on  it.  But  what  can 
be  more  dreadful  than  a  fight  at  sea  ?  what  more  savage 
where  such  various  fates  await  the  combatants  ?  Some 
are  tortured  by  the  burning  flames ;  some,  falling  over- 
board, are  swallowed  by  the  waves;  others,  wounded, 
perish  by  the  enemy's  weapons.  One  galley,  unskilfully 
managed  by  our  men,  exposed  its  flank  to  the  foe ;  and 
being  set  on  fire  received  the  Turks  as  they  boarded 
her  on  all  sides.  The  rowers  in  their  fright  fell  into  the 
sea ;  but  a  few  soldiers,  impeded  by  their  heavy  armor, 
and  restrained  by  ignorance  of  swimming,  took  courage 
from  desperation,  and  commenced  an  unequal  fight  ]  and 
trusting  in  the  Lord's  valor,  a  few  of  them  overcame 
numbers ;  and  having  slain  tJie  foe,  they  brought  back 


8(5  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1189. 

the  half-burnt  vessel  in  triumph.  Another  ship  was 
boarded  by  the  enemy,  who  had  driven  the  combatants 
from  the  upper  deck,  while  those  who  were  below  strove 
to  escape  by  the  help  of  their  oars.  Wondrous  and 
terrible  was  the  conflict ;  for,  the  oars  being  pulled  dif- 
ferent ways,  the  galley  was  drawn  first  one  way,  then  the 
other,  as  the  Turks  drove  it ;  yet  our  men  prevailed,  and 
the  enemy,  who  rowed  on  the  upper  deck,  being  over- 
come and  thrust  down  by  the  Christians,  yielded.  In 
this  naval  contest  the  enemy  lost  both  the  galley  and 
a  galleon,  together  with  their  crews ;  and  our  men,  un- 
hurt and  joyful,  gained  a  glorious  triumph. 

Having  drawn  the  captured  galley  on  shore,  they 
gave  it  up  to  be  plundered  by  both  sexes,  who  came  to 
meet  them.  On  this,  our  women,  dragging  the  Turks 
by  the  hair,  after  treating  them  shamefully,  beheaded 
them.  .  .  .  A  like  sea-fight  was  never  seen,  —  so  destruc- 
tive in  its  issue,  accomplished  with  so  much  danger, 
and  completed  with  so  much  cost.  In  the  mean  time 
the  Turkish  army  from  without,  though  deeply  bewail- 
ing our  victory,  persisted  in  making  attacks  upon  our 
men  who  were  within  the  trench,  endeavoring  either  to 
fill  up  the  completed  portion,  by  casting  back  the  earth, 
or  to  slay  those  who  resisted.  Our  men  sustaining  their 
attack,  though  with  difficulty,  fight  under  great  disad- 
vantages, for  they  seemed  unequal  to  contend  against 
so  countless  a  multitude,  —  for  the  numbers  of  the  as- 
sailants continually  increased,  and  we  had  to  take  pre- 
cautions on  the  side  of  the  city  lest  they  also  should 
rush  in  and  assault  us.  There  was  amongst  the  assail- 
ants a  fiendish  race,  very  impetuous  and  obstinate ; 
deformed  in  nature,  as  they  were  unlike  to  the  others  in 
character;  of  a  darker  appearance,  of  vast  stature,  of 


1 1 89-  THE  ISSUE  DOUBTFUL.  8/ 

exceeding  ferocity,  having  on  their  heads  red  coverings 
instead  of  helmets ;  carrying  in  their  hands  clubs  bris- 
tling with  iron  teeth,  which  neither  helmet  nor  coat  of 
mail  could  withstand ;  and  they  had  a  carved  image  of 
Mahomet  for  a  standard.  So  great  was  the  multitude 
of  this  evil  race,  that  as  fast  as  one  party  was  thrown 
to  the  earth,  another  rushed  forward  over  them.  Thus, 
by  their  constant  attacks,  they  confounded  our  men  so 
much  that  we  doubted  which  way  to  turn  ourselves  ;  for 
as  there  was  neither  security  nor  rest,  we  were  distressed 
on  all  sides;  at  one  time  guarding  ourselves  from  sallies 
of  the  besieged  from  the  city,  at  another  from  the  in- 
cessant attacks  of  the  enemy  from  without ;  and  again 
from  the  side  of  the  sea,  where  their  galleys  were  lying 
in  wait  to  convey  the  Turks  into  the  city  as  they  arrived, 
or  to  intercept  the  succors  which  were  coming  to  us,  the 
Christians.  At  length,  by  favor  of  the  Divine  mercy, 
our  adversaries  were  driven  back  and  repulsed. 

Meanwhile,  according  to  the  various  events  of  war, 
as  has  been  said,  success  changing  from  one  side  to  the 
other,  there  occurred  manifold  incidents,  not  less  won- 
derful than  to  be  wondered  at,  which  seem  worthy  of 
our  notice.  .  .  .  Amongst  those  who  were  carrying 
earth  to  make  a  mound  in  the  ditch  for  assaulting  the 
town  more  easily  was  a  woman  who  labored  with  great 
diligence  and  earnestness,  and  went  to  and  fro  unceas- 
ingly, and  encouraged  others  unremittingly,  in  order 
that  the  work  might  be  accomplished  ;  but  her  zeal  put 
an  end  to  her  life  and  labors  ;  for  while  a  crowd  of  all 
sexes  and  ages  were  constantly  coming  and  going  to 
complete  the  work  in  question,  and  while  the  aforesaid 
woman  was  occupied  in  depositing  what  she  had  brought, 


88  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1189. 

a  Turk,  who  had  been  lying  in  wait  for  her,  struck  her 
a  mortal  blow  with  a  dart.  As  she  fell  to  the  ground, 
writhing  with  the  violence  of  her  pain,  she  entreated 
her  husband  and  many  others  who  had  come  up  to 
assist  her,  with  tears  in  her  eyes,  and  very  urgently, 
saying,  "  By  your  love  for  me,  my  dearest  lord,  by  your 
piety  as  my  husband,  and  the  faith  of  our  marriage  con- 
tracted of  old,  permit  not  my  corpse  to  be  removed 
from  this  place ;  but  I  pray  and  beseech  you,  that  since 
I  can  do  nothinjr  more  towards  the  fulfilment  of  the 
work,  I  may  deem  myself  to  have  done  some  good,  if 
you  will  allow  my  lifeless  body  to  be  laid  in  the  trench 
instead  of  earth,  for  it  will  soon  be  earth."  Oh,  zeal  of 
woman,  worthy  of  imitation !  for  she  ceased  not,  even 
dead,  to  help  those  who  labored,  and  in  her  death  con- 
tinued to  show  her  zeal  in  the  cause  ! 

There  were  two  friends,  comrades  in  misfortune  as 
well  as  in  war,  so  needy  and  distressed  that  the  two 
possessed  only  one  piece  of  money,  commonly  called  an 
angevin,  and  with  that  only  they  wished  to  purchase  some- 
thing to  eat ;  but  what  could  they  do  ?  It  was  a  mere 
trifle,  and  worth  little,  even  if  there  had  been  abundance 
of  all  sorts  of  good  things ;  and  they  had  nothing  else 
but  their  armor  and  clothing.  They  considered  for  a 
long  time  very  thoughtfully  what  they  should  buy  with 
that  one  little  piece,  and  how  it  could  be  done  to  ward 
off  the  pressing  evil  of  the  day.  They  at  last  came  to 
the  resolution  of  buying  some  beans,  since  nothing  was 
to  be  bought  of  less  value ;  with  difficulty,  therefore, 
they  obtained,  after  much  entreaty,  thirteen  beans  for 
their  dinner,  one  of  which,  on  returning  home,  they 
found  consumed  by  maggots,  and  therefore  unfit  for 
eating.     Upon  this,  by  mutual  agreement,  they  went  a 


RICHARD   CCEUR-DE-LION 


C  C  O  <;  c  O  I 

f  C  C  C  C  c  c 

I  c  (  f  c    c  c  » 

a  i  *  c       (.  c 


C    t    t      O      C( 


»•  '       *.    <■  • 


1 189.  KING  RICHARD  ARRIVES.  89 

long  distance  in  search  of  the  seller,  who  consented,  not 
without  difficulty  and  after  much  supplication,  to  give 
them  a  whole  bean  in  exchange. 

On  the  Saturday  before  the  festival  of  the  blessed 
apostle  Barnabas,  in  the  Pentecost  week.  King  Richard  ^ 
landed  at  Acre  with  his  retinue,  and  the  earth  was 
shaken  by  the  acclamations  of  the  exulting  Christians. 
The  people  testified  their  joy  by  shouts  of  welcome  and 
the  clang  of  trumpets.  The  day  was  kept  as  a  jubilee, 
and  universal  gladness  reigned  around,  on  account  of 
the  arrival  of  the  king,  long  wished  for  by  all  nations. 
The  Turks,  on  the  other  hand,  were  terrified  and  cast 
down  by  his  coming ;  for  they  perceived  that  all  egress 
and  return  would  be  at  an  end,  in  consequence  of  the 
multitude  of  the  king's  galleys.  The  two  kings  conducted 
each  other  from  the  port,  and  paid  one  another  the 
most  obsequious  attention.  Then  King  Richard  retired 
to  the  tent  prepared  for  him,  and  forthwith  entered 
into  arrangements  about  the  siege ;  for  it  was  his  most 
anxious  care  to  find  out  by  what  means,  artifice,  and 
machines  they  could  capture  the  city  without  loss  of 
time. 

No  pen  can  sufficiently  describe  the  joy  of  the  people 
on  the  king's  arrival,  nor  tongue  detail  it.  The  very 
calmness  of  the  night  was  thought  to  smile  upon  them 
with  a  purer  air ;  the  trumpets  clanged,  horns  sounded, 
and  the  shrill  intonations  of  the  pipe,  and  the  deeper 
notes  of  the  timbrel  and  harp,  struck  upon  the  ear ; 
and  soothing  symphonies  were  heard,  like  various  notes 


'  His  father,  Henry  II.  of  England,  had  died  since  Richard  joined  the 
Crusades. 


90  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE,  1189. 

blended  into  one ;  and  there  was  not  a  man  who  did 
not,  after  his  own  fashion,  indulge  in  joy  and  praise,  — 
either  singing  popular  ballads  to  testify  the  gladness  of 
his  heart,  or  reciting  the  deeds  of  the  ancients,  stimulat- 
ing by  their  example  the  spirit  of  the  moderns.  Some 
drank  wine,  from  costly  cups,  to  the  health  of  the  sing- 
ers, while  others,  mixing  together,  high  and  low,  passed 
the  night  in  constant  dances.  And  their  joy  was  height- 
ened by  the  taking  of  Cyprus  by  King  Richard,  —  a 
place  so  useful  and  necessary  to  him,  and  one  which 
would  be  of  the  utmost  service  to  the  army.  As  a  fur- 
ther proof  of  the  exultation  of  their  hearts,  and  to  illume 
the  darkness  of  the  night,  wax  torches  and  flaming  lights 
sparkled  in  profusion,  so  that  night  seemed  to  be  usurped 
by  the  brightness  of  day,  and  the  Turks  thought  the 
whole  valley  was  on  fire. 

By  the  conjunction  of  the  retinue  of  two  kings  an 
immense  army  of  Christians  was  formed.  With  the  King 
of  France,  who  had  arrived  on  the  octaves  of  Easter, 
there  came  the  Count  of  Flanders,  the  Count  of  St.  Paul, 
William  de  Garlande,  William  des  Barres,  Drogo 
d'Amiens,  William  de  Mirle,  and  the  Count  of  Perche ; 
and  with  them  also  came  the  marquis,  of  whom  we  have 
before  spoken,  and  who  aspired  to  be  King  of  Jeru- 
salem. But  why  should  we  enumerate  them  singly? 
There  was  not  a  man  of  influence  or  renown  in  France 
who  came  not,  then  or  afterwards,  to  the  siege  of  Acre ; 
and  on  the  following  day  of  Pentecost,  King  Richard 
arrived  with  an  army,  the  flower  of  war,  and  upon  learn- 
ing that  the  King  of  France  had  gained  the  good-will 
and  favor  of  all  by  giving  to  each  of  his  soldiers  three 
aurei  a  month,  not  to  be  outdone  or  equalled  in  gen- 
erosity, he  proclaimed  by  mouth  of  herald,  that  whoso- 


1189.  THE  PETRARIA.  9 1 

ever  was  in  his  service,  no  matter  of  what  nation,  should 
receive  four  statute  aurei  a  month  for  his  pay.  By  these 
means  his  generosity  was  extolled  by  all,  for  he  out- 
shone every  one  else  in  merit  and  favors,  as  he  outdid 
them  in  gifts  and  magnificence.  "When,"  exclaimed 
they,  "  will  the  first  attack  take  place  by  a  man  whom 
we  have  expected  so  long  and  anxiously,  —  a  man,  by 
far  the  first  of  kings,  and  the  most  skilled  in  war 
throujrhout  Christendom  ?  Now  let  the  will  of  God  be 
done,  for  the  hope  of  all  rests  on  King  Richard  !  " 

The  King  of  France  first  recovered  from  his  sickness 
and  turned  his  attention  to  the  construction  of  machines 
and  petrariae,  suitable  for  attacks,  and  which  he  deter- 
mined to  ply  night  and  day,  and  he  had  one  of  superior 
quality,  to  which  they  gave  the  name  of  "  Bad  Neigh- 
bor." The  Turks  also  had  one  they  called  "  Bad  Kins- 
man," which  by  its  violent  casts  often  broke  "  Bad 
Neighbor  "  in  pieces,  but  the  King  of  France  rebuilt  it, 
until  by  constant  blows  he  broke  down  part  of  the  prin- 
cipal city  wall,  and  shook  the  tower  Maledictum.  On 
one  side,  the  petraria  of  the  Duke  of  Burgundy  plied  j 
on  the  other,  that  of  the  Templars  did  severe  execution  \ 
while  that  of  the  Hospitallers  never  ceased  to  cast  terror 
among  the  Turks.  Besides  these,  there  was  one  petraria, 
erected  at  the  common  expense,  which  they  were  in  the 
habit  of  calling  the  "petraria  of  God."  Near  it  there 
constantly  preached  a  priest,  a  man  of  great  probity, 
who  collected  money  to  restore  it  at  their  joint  expense, 
and  to  hire  persons  to  bring  stones  for  casting.  By 
means  of  this  engine  a  part  of  the  wall  of  the  tower 
Maledictum  was  at  length  shaken  down,  for  about  two 
poles'  length.    The  Count  of  Flanders  had  a  very  choice 


92  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1189. 

petraria  of  large  size,  which  after  his  death  King  Richard 
possessed  ;  besides  a  smaller  one,  equally  good.  These 
two  were  plied  incessantly,  close  by  a  gate  the  Turks 
used  to  frequent,  until  part  of  the  tower  was  knocked 
down.  In  addition  to  these  two,  King  Richard  had 
constructed  two  others  of  choice  material  and  workman- 
ship, which  would  strike  a  place  at  an  incalculable 
distance.  He  had  also  built  one  put  together  very 
compactly,  which  the  people  called  "  Berefred,"  with 
steps  to  mount  it,  fitting  most  tightly  to  it ;  covered  with 
raw  hides  and  ropes,  and  having  layers  of  most  solid 
wood,  not  to  be  destroyed  by  any  blows,  nor  open  to 
injury  from  the  pouring  thereon  of  Greek  fire,  or  any 
other  material.  He  also  prepared  two  mangonels,  one 
of  which  was  of  such  violence  and  rapidity  that  what  it 
hurled  reached  the  inner  rows  of  the  city  market-place. 
These  engines  were  plied  day  and  night,  and  it  is  well 
known  that  a  stone  sent  from  one  of  them  killed  twelve 
men  with  its  blow.  The  stone  was  afterwards  carried  to 
Saladin  for  inspection ;  and  King  Richard  had  brought 
it  from  Messina,  which  city  he  had  taken.  Such  stones, 
and  flinty  pieces  of  the  smoothest  kind,  nothing  could 
withstand ;  but  they  either  shattered  in  pieces  the 
object  they  struck,  or  ground  it  to  powder. 

The  city  of  Acre,  from  its  strong  position,  and  its 
being  defended  by  the  choicest  men  of  the  Turks,  ap- 
peared difficult  to  be  taken  by  assault.  The  French 
had  hitherto  spent  their  labor  in  vain  in  constructing 
machines  and  engines  for  breaking  down  the  walls  with 
the  greatest  care  ;  for  whatever  they  erected,  at  a  great 
expense,  the  Turks  destroyed  with  Greek  fire  or  some 
devouring  conflagration.  Amongst  other  machines  and 
engines  which   the   King  of   France   had   erected  for 


iiSg.  THE  CAT.  93 

breaking  down  the  walls,  he  had  prepared  one,  with 
great  labor,  to  be  used  for  scaling  it,  which  they  called 
a  "  cat,"  because  like  a  cat  it  crept  up  and  adhered  to 
the  wall.  He  had  also  another  made  of  strong  hurdle- 
twigs,  put  together  most  compactly,  which  they  used  to 
call  a  "  cercleia,"  and  under  its  covering  of  hides  the 
King  of  France  used  to  sit,  and  employ  himself  in 
throwing  darts  from  a  sling ;  he  would  thus  watch  the 
approach  of  the  Turks,  above  on  the  walls,  by  the  bat- 
tlements, and  hit  them  unawares.  But  it  happened  one 
day  that  the  French  were  eagerly  pressing  forward  to 
apply  their  cat  to  the  walls,  when,  behold !  the  Turks 
let  down  upon  it  a  heap  of  the  driest  wood,  and  threw 
upon  it  a  quantity  of  Greek  fire,  as  well  as  upon  the 
hurdle  they  had  constructed  with  such  toil,  and  then 
aimed  a  petraria  in  that  direction,  and  all  having  forth- 
with caught  fire,  they  broke  them  in  pieces  by  the  blows 
from  their  petraria.  Upon  this  the  King  of  France  was 
enraged  beyond  measure,  and  began  to  curse  all  those 
who  were  under  his  command ;  and  rated  them  shame- 
fully for  not  exacting  condign  vengeance  of  the  Saracens, 
who  had  done  them  such  injuries.  In  the  heat  of  his 
passion,  and  when  the  day  was  drawing  in,  he  published 
an  edict,  by  voice  of  herald,  that  an  assault  should  be 
made  upon  the  city  on  the  morrow.  .  .  .  There  hap- 
pened a  wonderful  event,  not  to  be  passed  over  in 
silence.  There  was  a  man  of  renown  for  his  tried  valor 
and  excellence,  named  Alberic  Clements,  who,  when  he 
saw  the  French  toiling  to  very  little  purpose,  exerted  his 
strength  in  the  vehemence  of  his  ardor,  exclaiming, 
"  This  day  I  will  perish,  or,  if  it  please  God,  I  will  enter 
into  the  city  of  Acre."  With  these  words  he  boldly 
mounted  the  ladder ;  and  as  he  reached  the  top  of  the 


94  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1189. 

wall  the  Turks  fell  on  him  from  all  sides  and  killed  him. 
The  French  were  on  the  point  of  following  him,  but 
were  overwhelmed  by  the  pressure  of  numbers  which 
the  ladder  could  not  hold,  and  some  were  bruised  to 
death,  and  others  dragged  out  much  injured.  The 
Turks  shouted  with  the  greatest  joy  and  applause  when 
they  saw  the  accident,  for  it  was  a  very  severe  misfor- 
tune. They  surrounded  and  overcame  Alberic  Clements, 
who  was  left  alone  on  the  top  of  the  wall,  and  pierced 
him  with  innumerable  wounds.  He  thus  verified  what 
he  had  before  said,  —  that  he  would  die  a  martyr  if  he 
was  unable  to  render  his  friends  assistance  by  entering 
Acre.  The  French  were  much  discouraged  by  his  loss, 
and  ceasing  the  assault  gave  themselves  up  to  lamenta- 
tion and  mourning  on  account  of  his  death,  for  he  was  a 
man  of  rank  and  influence  and  great  valor. 

Not  long  after  the  French  miners,  by  their  persever- 
ance, undermined  the  tower  Maledictum,  and  supported 
it  by  placing  beams  of  wood  underneath.  The  Turks 
also,  digging  in  the  same  direction,  had  reached  the 
same  part  of  the  foundations ;  on  which  they  entered 
into  a  mutual  treaty  of  peace  that  the  Turks  should 
depart  uninjured,  and  some  of  the  Christians  whom 
they  held  captive  were,  by  agreement,  in  like  manner 
set  at  liberty.  On  discovering  this  the  Turks  were  very 
much  chagrined,  and  stopped  up  the  passages  by  which 
they  had  gone  out.  .  .  .  What  can  we  say  of  this  race 
of  unbelievers  who  thus  defended  their  city  ?  They  must 
be  admired  for  their  valor  in  war,  and  were  the  honor 
of  their  whole  nation,  and  had  they  been  of  the  right 
faith  they  would  not  have  had  their  superiors  as  men 
throughout  the  world.  Yet  they  dreaded  our  men,  not 
without  reason,  for  they  saw  the  choicest  soldiers  from 


1 1 89.  SALVATION  AND  SAL  A  DIN  95 

the  ranks  of  all  Christendom  come  to  destroy  them ; 
their  walls  in  part  broken  down,  in  part  shattered,  the 
greater  portion  of  their  army  mutilated,  some  killed, 
and  others  weakened  by  their  wounds.  .  .  . 

Meanwhile,  the  petrarias  of  the  Christians  never 
ceased,  day  and  night,  to  shake  the  walls,  and  when  the 
Turks  saw  this  they  were  smitten  with  wonder,  astonish- 
ment, terror,  and  confusion  \  and  many,  yielding  to  their 
fears,  threw  themselves  down  from  the  walls  by  night, 
and  without  waiting  for  the  promised  aid,  very  many 
sought,  with  supplications,  the  sacrament  of  baptism 
and  Christianity.  There  was  little  doubt,  and  with  good 
reason  as  to  their  merits,  that  they  presumptuously 
asked  the  boon  more  from  the  pressure  of  urgent  fear 
than  from  any  divine  inspiration ;  but  there  are  differ- 
ent steps  by  which  men  arrive  at  salvation. 

Saladin,  perceiving  the  danger  of  delay,  at  length 
determined  to  yield  to  the  entreaties  of  the  besieged ; 
he  was,  moreover,  persuaded  by  his  admirals  and 
satraps,  and  his  influential  courtiers,  who  had  many 
friends  and  kinsmen  amongst  the  besieged.  The  latter 
alleged  also  that  he  was  bound  to  them  by  his  promise 
made  on  the  Mahometan  law,  that  he  would  procure 
for  them  an  honorable  capitulation  at  the  last  moment, 
lest,  perchance,  made  prisoners  at  discretion,  they  should 
be  exterminated  or  put  to  an  ignominious  death,  and 
thus  the  law  of  Mahomet,  which  had  been  strictly  ob- 
served by  their  ancestors,  be  effaced  by  its  dependence 
on  him ;  and,  nevertheless,  very  much  would  be  dero- 
gated from  his  name  and  excellence  if  the  worshippers 
of  Mahomet  should  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  Christians. 
They  also  begged  to  remind  Saladin  of  the  fact  that 
they,  a  chosen  race  of  Turks,  in  obedience  to  his  com- 


96  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  11H9. 

mands,  had  been  cooped  up  in  the  city  and  withstood 
the  siege  for  so  long  a  time ;  they  reminded  him  too 
that  they  had  not  seen  their  wives  and  children  for 
three  years,  during  which  period  the  siege  had  lasted ; 
and  they  said  it  would  be  better  to  surrender  the  city 
than  that  people  of  such  merit  should  be  destroyed. 
The  princes  persuading  the  sultan  to  this  effect  that 
their  latter  condition  might  not  be  worse  than  their  for- 
mer one,  he  assented  to  their  making  peace  on  the  best 
terms  they  could,  and  they  drew  up  a  statement  of  what 
appeared  to  them  the  most  proper  terms  of  treaty.  On 
the  messengers  bringing  back  the  resolution  of  Saladin 
and  his  satraps  the  besieged  were  filled  with  great  joy, 
and  forthwith  the  principal  men  of  the  city  went  to  the 
kings,  and,  through  their  interpreters,  offered  to  surren- 
der unconditionally  the  city  of  Acre,  the  Cross,  and  two 
hundred  and  fifty  noble  Christian  captives ;  and  when 
they  perceived  this  did  not  satisfy  them  they  offered 
two  thousand  noble  Christian  captives,  and  five  hundred 
of  inferior  rank,  whom  Saladin  would  bring  together 
from  all  parts  of  his  kingdom,  if  they  would  let  the 
Turks  depart  from  their  city,  with  their  shirts  only, 
leaving  behind  them  their  arms  and  property ;  and,  as  a 
ransom  for  themselves,  they  would  give  two  hundred 
thousand  Saracenic  talents.  As  security  for  the  per- 
formance of  these  conditions  they  offered  to  deliver  up, 
as  hostages,  all  the  men  of  noble  or  high  rank  in  the 
city.  After  the  two  kings  had  considered  with  the 
wisest  of  the  chiefs  the  opinion  of  all  was  for  accepting 
the  offer  and  consenting  to  the  conditions,  that  on 
taking  the  oath  for  security  and  subscribing  the  terms 
of  peace  they  might  quit  the  city  without  carrying  any- 
thing with  them,  having  first  given  up  the  hostages.  .  .  • 


n89.  THE  SURRENDER  OF  ACRE.  97 

And  when  the  day  came  that  the  Turks,  so  renowned 
for  their  courage  and  valor,  most  active  in  the  exercise 
of  war,  and  famous  for  their  magnificence,  appeared  on 
the  walls  ready  to  leave  the  city,  the  Christians  went 
forth  to  look  at  them,  and  were  struck  with  admiration 
when  they  remembered  the  deeds  they  had  done.  They 
were  also  astonished  at  the  cheerful  countenances  of 
those  who  were  thus  driven  almost  penniless  from  their 
city,  their  demeanor  unchanged  by  adversity ;  and  those 
who  but  now  had  been  compelled  by  sheer  necessity  to 
own  themselves  conquered,  and  betake  themselves  to 
supplication,  bore  no  marks  of  care,  as  they  came  forth, 
nor  any  signs  of  dejection  at  the  loss  of  all  they  pos- 
sessed—  not  even  in  the  firmness  of  their  countenances, 
for  they  seemed  to  be  conquerors  by  their  courageous 
bearing ;  but  the  form  of  superstitious  idolatry  and  the 
miserable  error  of  sinfulness  threw  a  stain  upon  their 
warlike  glories.  At  last,  when  all  the  Turks  had  de- 
parted, the  Christians,  with  the  two  kings  at  their  head, 
entered  the  city  without  opposition,  through  the  open 
gates,  with  dances  and  joy  and  loud  vociferations, 
glorifying  God  and  giving  Him  thanks,  because  He  had 
magnified  His  mercy  to  them,  and  had  visited  them,  and 
redeemed  His  people. 

On  the  Wednesday  before  the  feast  of  St.  Mark  the 
Evangelist,  the  king  and  his  army  set  out  to  Gadida  to 
protect  the  city,  but  found  no  one  there,  for  the  enemy 
had  taken  to  flight  when  they  heard  of  his  coming.  On 
their  way  back  the  king  attacked  a  fierce  boar,  which, 
hearing  the  noise  of  the  party  passing  by,  had  come  out 
and  stood  in  the  way.  The  fierce  animal,  foaming  at 
the  mouth  with  rage,  and  with  his  shaggy  hair  bristling 

7 


98  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1189. 

up,  and  his  ears  erect,  seemed  to  be  collecting  all  his 
strength  and  fury  to  receive  or  make  an  attack.  He 
did  not  move  from  his  place  when  the  king  shouted ; 
nay,  when  the  king  made  a  circuit  round  him,  he  also 
turned  himself  in  his  astonishment  round  in  a  circle, 
and  kept  himself  in  the  same  place  which  he  had  first 
occupied.  The  king,  now  making  use  of  his  lance  for  a 
hunting  spear,  moved  on  to  pierce  him ;  and  the  boar, 
turning  a  little  to  one  side,  prepared  to  meet  him.  The 
animal  was  of  enormous  size  and  terrible  aspect,  and 
the  lance  which  was  boldly  thrust  against  his  broad 
breast  broke  in  two,  from  not  being  strong  enough  to 
bear  the  force  of  both,  as  they  were  closing  with  each 
other.  The  boar,  now  rendered  furious  by  his  wound, 
rushed  with  all  his  might  upon  the  king,  who  had  not 
an  inch  of  room,  or  a  moment  of  time  to  turn  away;  so 
putting  spurs  to  his  horse  he  fairly  leapt  over  the 
animal,  unharmed,  though  the  boar  tore  away  the  hinder 
trappings  of  his  horse,  but  the  activity  of  the  latter 
frustrated  the  blow,  and  the  part  of  the  lance  which 
was  fixed  in  the  animal's  breast  prevented  him  from 
coming  to  closer  quarters.  They  then  made  a  simul- 
taneous attack  on  each  other,  and  the  boar  made  a 
rapid  movement,  as  if  to  close  with  the  king ;  but  he, 
brandishing  his  sword,  smote  him  with  it  as  he  passed, 
and  stunned  him  with  the  blow ;  then  wheeled  round 
his  horse,  and,  cutting  the  boar's  sinews,  he  consigned 
the  animal  to  the  care  of  his  huntsmen. 


It  also  happened  .  .  .  that  while  the  king  was  staying 
there  (at  Betnoble)  they  were  much  comforted  by  news 
which  was  brought  to  the  king ;  for  a  devout  man,  the 


ilSg.  THE  HOLY  CROSS.  99 

abbat  of  St.  Elie,  whose  countenance  bespoke  holiness, 
with  long  beard  and  head  of  snow,  came  to  the  king 
and  told  him  that  a  long  time  ago  he  had  concealed  a 
piece  of  the  Holy  Cross,  in  order  to  preserve  it,  until 
the  Holy  Land  should  be  rescued  from  the  infidels  and 
restored  entirely  to  its  former  state,  and  that  he  alone 
knew  of  this  hidden  treasure,  and  that  he  had  often 
been  pressed  by  Saladin,  who  had  tried  to  make  him 
discover  the  Cross  by  the  most  searching  inquiries,  but 
that  he  had  always  baffled  his  questioners  by  ambiguous 
replies,  and  deluded  them  with  false  statements ;  and 
that  on  account  of  his  contumacy,  Saladin  had  ordered 
him  to  be  bound,  but  he  persisted  in  asserting  that  he 
had  lost  the  piece  of  the  Cross  during  the  taking  of  the 
City  of  Jerusalem,  and  had  thus  deluded  him  notwith- 
standing his  anxiety  to  find  it.  The  king,  hearing  this, 
set  out  immediately,  with  the  abbat  and  a  great  number 
of  people,  to  the  place  of  which  the  abbat  had  spoken ; 
and  having  taken  up  the  piece  of  the  Holy  Cross  with 
humble  veneration,  they  returned  to  the  army;  and, 
together  with  the  people,  they  kissed  the  Cross  with 
much  piety  and  contrition. 

In  the  mean  time  our  men,  having  by  God's  grace 
escaped  destruction,  the  Turkish  army  returned  to  Sala- 
din, who  is  said  to  have  ridiculed  them  by  asking  where 
Melech  Richard  was,  for  they  had  promised  to  bring 
him  a  prisoner.  "  Which  of  you,"  continued  he,  "  first 
seized  him,  and  where  is  he  ?  why  is  he  not  produced  ?  " 
To  whom  one  of  the  Turks  that  came  from  the  furthest 
countries  of  the  earth,  replied:  "In  truth,  my  lord, 
Melech  Richard,  about  whom  you  ask,  is  not  here ;  we 
have  never  heard  since  the  beginning  of  the  world  that 


lOO  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1189. 

there  ever  was  such  a  knight,  so  brave,  and  so  ex- 
perienced in  arms.  In  every  deed  at  arms  he  is  ever 
foremost;  in  deeds  he  is  without  a  rival,  the  first  to 
advance,  and  the  last  to  retreat;  we  did  our  best  to 
seize  him,  but  in  vain,  for  no  one  can  escape  from  his 
sword ;  his  attack  is  dreadful ;  to  engage  with  him  is 
fatal,  and  his  deeds  are  beyond  human  nature." 


HERNANDO  CORTES 


c     c       c    c 


HERNANDO  COKTES'S:  LETT5RS. 


ALL  this  talk  about  Asia  interested  the  children  in 
the  old  geography  of  Asia.  They  could  see,  by 
the  map  in  Col.  Yule's  book,  how  very  vague  the  notion 
of  the  eastern  shore  of  Asia  was.  Marco  Polo  had 
sailed  down  that  shore  ;  in  fact,  he  came  home  that  way. 

"  But,"  said  Tom  Rising,  "  he  knew  no  more  about  it 
than  I  knew  of  Cape  Ann  and  the  Isle  of  Shoals,  after 
I  went  from  Boston  to  Mount  Desert  in  a  steamer." 

"  Exactly,"  said  Horace  Feltham,  "  but  you  knew 
that  there  was  no  land  where  you  sailed  over  water, 
and  Marco  Polo  knew  the  same." 

Then  Uncle  Fritz  showed  them  a  droll  old  map  of  the 
world  made  by  Era  Mauro,  from  the  results  of  Marco 
Polo's  discoveries.  The  southeast  shore  of  Asia  had 
a  very  suspicious  curve,  and  Africa  and  Hindostan  and 
the  other  peninsulas  were  all  squeezed  into  the  same 
curve.  He  explained  to  the  children  that  this  was  done 
so  that  the  whole  of  the  three  Continents,  which  we  call 
the  Eastern  Hemisphere,  might  be  brought  up  on  one 
round  plate,  with  Jerusalem  for  the  centre. 

"  And  this  was  the  Asia  that  Columbus  was  looking 
for,"  said  Tom  Rising. 

"Yes,  and  this  was  the  Asia  Columbus  thought  he 
had  found. 


I02  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1534. 

"  He  thought  so,  probably,  till  he  died,  and  for  a 
generation  other  men  thought  so.  It  seems  certain  now 
that  the  coast  of  our  own  United  States  was  put  down 
on  the  maps  before  it  was  really  discovered.  It  is 
doubtful  how  far  the  Cabots  traced  it.  It  is  wellnigh 
certain  that  the  supposed  discovery  by  the  Verrazzani 
was  all  a  lie.  They  fc'und  people  living  stark  naked 
early  In  March  in : the  iHtitud^  of  our  New  Jersey;  they 
found  odorous  palms  and  laurels  in  the  same  place  at 
the  same  time ;  wild  roses  and  lilies  in  bloom.  This  is 
indeed  *  a  lie  with  a  circumstance.' 

"  But  all  the  same  the  coast  of  the  United  States  was 
on  the  maps,  without  any  Cape  Cod,  without  any 
Hudson  River,  without  any  Chesapeake  Bay.  It  is 
now  supposed  that,  after  Florida  was  discovered  on  the 
south,  and  the  regions  around  Newfoundland  on  the 
north,  the  geographers  were  so  certain  that  this  was 
the  Asiatic  coast  of  Marco  Polo,  that  they  drew  it 
boldly  in." 

When  Uncle  Fritz  had  explained  this  to  the  children, 
he  made  Sybil  trace  the  true  eastern  line  of  Asia,  and 
compare  it  with  the  true  eastern  line  of  America,  and 
they  were  surprised  and  amused  to  see  how  much  they 
resembled  each  other. 

"When  Cortes  discovered  California,"  said.  Uncle 
Fritz,  "  he  gave  it  that  name  because  in  a  romance  of 
that  time,  called  Esplandian,  there  was  an  island  called 
California,  inhabited  by  Amazons,  in  the  east  of  Asia. 
Cortes  thought  he  had  struck  the  east  of  Asia.  He 
thought  California  was  an  island,  and  so  he  put  Cali. 
fornia  down  on  the  map.  And  it  has  stayed  there  long 
after  everybody  forgot  the  romance,  —  except  Don 
Quixote,  and  me." 


152a  HERNANDO   CORTES' S  LETTERS.  1 03 

Some  of  the  children  said  they  liked  Cortes  better 
than  they  did  Pizarro. 

■  "  And  well  you  may,"  said  Uncle  Fritz.  "  Neither  of 
them  were  Christian  gentlemen  of  the  type  of  the  nine- 
teenth century.  But  Cortes  was,  in  every  regard,  much 
more  of  a  man  than  Pizarro.  And,  of  all  the  numerous 
accounts  of  his  marvellous  adventures,  none  are  better 
written  than  those  by  himself." 

"  If  only,"  cried  Clem  Waters,  "  he  had  written  in 
English  !     I  am  always  groaning  about  that." 

This  was  a  constant  complaint  of  Clem's.  But  Uncle 
Fritz  told  him  that  in  this  case  his  difficulty  was  solved. 
Cortes's  letters  to  the  sovereign  have  now  all  been 
translated.  They  were  found  in  one  receptacle  or 
another,  in  different  depositories  in  Europe,  for  Charles 
V.  was  here  or  there  or  everywhere.  But  now  six  of 
them  have  been  found,  and  have  been  translated." 

He  sent  Bob  for  the  different  editions  of  Cortes's 
letters  to  the  sovereign,  and,  partly  guided  by  Uncle 
Fritz's  marks  and  suggestions,  the  children  read  the 
following  passages :  — 

EXTRACT  FROM  CORTES'S  THIRD  AND  FOURTH 
LETTERS. 

The  next  day,  after  mass,  I  sent  a  messenger  to  the 
town  of  Vera  Cruz  to  carry  the  good  news  that  the 
Christians  were  alive,  and  that  I  had  entered  the  city, 
which  was  quiet.  The  messenger  returned  in  half  an 
hour  after  his  departure,  covered  with  bruises  and  in- 
juries, crying  aloud  that  all  the  Indians  of  the  city  were 
in  arms,  and  that  they  had  raised  the  bridges  ;  and  soon 
after  an  attack  was  made  upon  us  by  so  great  a  multi- 


104  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  152a 

tude  of  people  on  all  sides,  that  neither  the  streets  nor 
the  roofs  of  the  houses  were  visible  on  account  of  the 
crowd,  from  whom  proceeded  the  most  violent  outcries 
and  terrible  shouts  that  could  be  conceived.  Stones 
thrown  by  slings  fell  in  such  numbers  upon  the  garrison 
that  it  seemed  as  if  they  came  down  like  rain  from  the 
clouds ;  and  darts  and  arrows  were  so  thick  that  the 
houses  and  squares  were  filled  with  them,  and  almost 
prevented  our  walking  about.  I  sallied  forth  at  two  or 
three  different  points,  where  they  were  engaged  stoutly 
with  our  men ;  and  at  one  time,  when  a  captain  had  led 
forth  two  hundred  men,  they  fell  upon  them  before  he 
had  time  to  form  them  in  order,  and  killed  four  of  their 
number,  besides  wounding  the  captain  and  several 
others.  I  was  also  wounded,  and  many  of  the  Span- 
iards who  were  with  me  engaged  in  another  quarter. 
We  destroyed  few  of  the  enemy,  because  they  took 
refuge  beyond  the  bridges,  and  did  us  much  injury  from 
the  roofs  of  houses  and  terraces,  some  of  which  fell 
into  our  possession  and  were  burned.  But  they  were 
so  numerous  and  strong,  and  so  well  defended  and  sup- 
plied with  stones  and  other  arms,  that  our  whole  force 
was  not  sufficient  to  take  them,  nor  to  prevent  the 
enemy  from  attacking  us  at  their  pleasure. 

The  attack  on  the  fortress  or  garrison  was  made  with 
such  violence  that  they  succeeded  in  setting  fire  to  sev- 
eral parts  of  it,  and  a  considerable  portion  of  it  was 
burned  without  our  being  able  to  prevent  it,  until  we 
cut  away  the  walls  and  levelled  a  portion  of  the  building 
with  the  ground,  by  which  we  obstructed  the  progress 
of  the  fire  and  extinguished  it.  And  had  it  not  been  for 
the  great  caution  that  I  used  in  posting  musketeers, 
archers,  and  several  pieces  of  artillery,  they  would  have 


C    t    f    t    < 
4  •  C  C  ( 


t  •  c  « 


IS20.  HERNANDO   CORTES' S  LETTERS.  I05 

scaled  our  walls  in  broad  daylight  without  our  being 
able  to  resist  them.     Thus  we  fought  all  that  day  until 
the  darkness  of  night  enveloped  us,  and  even  then  they 
continued  to  assail  us  with  noises  and  alarms  till  day- 
light.    That  night  I  directed  the  breaches  caused  by  the 
fire  to  be  repaired,  together  with  all  other  parts  of  the 
garrison   that  seemed  to  require  it;   and   I    arranged 
the  quarters,  determining  who  were  to  remain  in  them 
the  next  day,  and  who  were  to  be  engaged  without ;  at  the 
same  time  I  caused  suitable  care  to  be  taken  of  the 
wounded,  who  amounted  to  more  than  eighty  in  num- 
ber.    As  soon  as  it  was  daylight,  the  enemy  renewed 
the  combat  with  still  greater  vigor  than  the  day  before, 
for  the  number  of  them  was  so  immense  that  there  was 
no  need  of  levelling  the  guns,  but  only  to  direct  them 
against  the  mass  of  Indians.      And  although  the  fire- 
arms did  much  injury,  for  we  played  off  thirteen  arque- 
buses besides  matchlocks  and  cross-bows,  they  produced 
so  little  impression  that  their  effect  scarcely  seemed  to 
be  felt ;  since  where  a  discharge  cut  down  ten  or  twelve 
men,  the  ranks  were  instantly  closed  up  by  additional 
numbers,  and  no  apparent  loss  was  perceived.     Leaving 
in  the  garrison  a  sufficient  force  for  its  defence,  and  as 
large  as  I  could  spare,  I  sallied  forth  with  the  rest,  and 
took  from  the  enemy  several  bridges,  setting  fire  to  a 
number  of  houses  and  destroying  the  people  who  de- 
fended them  ;  but  they  were  so  numerous,  that  although 
we  did  them  much  injury,  the  effect  was  still  impercep- 
tible.    Our  men  were  compelled  to  fight  all  day  long 
without  cessation,  while  the  enemy  were  relieved  at  in- 
tervals by  fresh  forces,  and  still  had  a  superabundance 
of  men.     But  we  had  none  of  our  Spanish  force  killed 
on  this  day,  although  fifty  or  sixty  were  wounded,  and 


I06  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1520. 

we  continued  the  contest  till  night,  when  we  withdrew 
wearied  into  the  garrison.  Seeing  the  great  mischief 
done  us  by  the  enemy  in  wounding  and  slaying  our 
people,  while  they  were  either  unharmed,  or  if  we  caused 
them  any  loss,  it  was  immediately  repaired  by  their  great 
numbers,  we  spent  all  that  night  and  the  next  day  in 
constructing  three  engines  of  timber,  each  of  which 
would  contain  twenty  men,  covered  with  thick  plank  to 
protect  them  from  the  stones  that  were  thrown  from  the 
terraces  of  houses.  The  persons  to  be  conveyed  in  the 
machines  were  musketeers  and  archers,  together  with 
others  provided  with  spades,  pickaxes,  and  bars  of  iron, 
to  demolish  the  barricades  erected  in  the  streets  and 
pull  down  the  houses.  While  we  were  building  these 
machines,  the  enemy  did  not  cease  their  attacks  ;  and 
so  resolute  were  they,  that  when  we  sallied  forth  from 
our  quarters  they  attempted  to  enter  them,  and  we  had 
trouble  enough  to  resist  their  progress.  Montezuma, 
who  was  still  a  prisoner  (together  with  his  son  and  many 
other  persons  of  distinction,  who  had  been  secured  at 
the  beginning  of  operations),  now  came  forward  and 
requested  to  be  taken  to  the  terrace  of  the  garrison, 
that  he  might  speak  to  the  leaders  of  his  people  and  in- 
duce them  to  discontinue  the  contest.  I  caused  him  to 
be  taken  up,  and  when  he  reached  a  battlement  project- 
ing from  the  fortress,  and  sought  an  opportunity  to 
address  the  people  who  were  fighting  in  that  quarter,  a 
stone  thrown  by  some  one  of  his  own  subjects  struck 
him  on  the  head  with  so  much  force  that  he  died  in 
three  days  after.  I  then  gave  his  dead  body  to  two 
Indians  who  were  amongst  the  prisoners,  and  taking  it 
upon  their  shoulders  they  bore  it  away  to  his  people ; 
what  afterwards  became  of  it  I  know  not.    The  war, 


I520.  HERNANDO   CORTES' S  LETTERS.  10/ 

however,  did  not  cease,  but  increased  in  violence  and 
desperation  every  day.  On  tlie  same  day  a  cry  was  heard 
in  the  quarter  where  Montezuma  had  been  wounded, 
some  of  the  enemy  calling  to  me  to  approach  there,  as 
certain  of  their  captains  wished  to  confer  with  me.  I 
accordingly  did  so,  and  we  passed  amongst  them  ;  when, 
after  a  long  parley,  I  asked  them  to  discontinue  their 
attacks,  since  they  had  no  good  reason  for  it,  having 
received  many  benefits  from  me,  and  having  always  been 
treated  well.  Their  answer  was,  that  I  must  depart  and 
leave  the  country,  when  the  war  would  immediately 
cease  ;  otherwise  they  were  all  resolved  to  die,  or  to 
destroy  us.  This  they  did,  as  it  appeared,  to  induce  me 
to  leave  the  fortress,  that  they  might  cut  us  off  at  pleasure 
on  our  departure  from  the  city,  when  we  were  between 
the  bridges.  I  answered  them  that  they  need  not  sup- 
pose I  asked  for  peace  from  fear,  but  that  I  was  pained 
to  be  under  the  necessity  of  injuring  them  and  destroy- 
ing so  fine  a  city  as  theirs.  They  replied  that  they 
should  not  cease  their  attacks  until  I  departed  from  the 
city. 

After  the  engines  were  completed,  immediately  on  the 
following  day,  I  sallied  forth  to  gain  possession  of  cer- 
tain terraces  and  bridges ;  and  placing  the  engines  in 
front,  they  were  followed  by  four  pieces  of  artillery,  with 
many  bowmen  and  shield-bearers,  and  more  than  three 
thousand  native  Tlascalans,  who  had  come  with  me  as 
auxiliaries,  subordinate  to  the  Spanish  troops.  Having 
reached  a  bridge,  we  brought  the  engines  near  to  the 
walls  of  the  terraces,  together  with  scaling  ladders,  by 
means  of  which  we  ascended  them.  But  the  multitude 
of  people  was  so  great  that  defended  the  bridge  and  the 
terraces,  and  such  showers  of  heavy  stones  were  thrown 


I08  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1520. 

from  above,  and  the  movements  of  the  engines  were  dis- 
concerted, and  a  Spaniard  killed  and  many  others 
wounded,  without  our  being  able  to  make  any  progress, 
although  we  struggled  hard  for  it,  and  fought  from  morn- 
ing till  mid-day,  when  we  returned  sad  enough  to  our 
quarters. 

The  enemy  were  so  much  encouraged  by  this  un- 
successful movement  on  our  part,  that  they  advanced 
almost  to  our  doors,  and  took  possession  of  the  great 
temple,  to  the  loftiest  and  most  considerable  tower  of 
which  nearly  five  hundred  Indians,  apparently  persons 
of  rank,  ascended,  taking  with  them  a  large  supply  of 
bread,  water,  and  other  provisions,  and  a  great  quantity 
of  stones.  Most  of  them  were  armed  with  lances  of 
large  size,  having  points  formed  of  flint,  broader  and  not 
less  sharp  than  ours ;  and  from  this  position  they  did 
much  mischief  to  the  people  in  the  garrison,  as  it  was 
very  near.  The  Spanish  soldiers  attacked  this  tower 
two  or  three  times,  and  attempted  to  ascend  it ;  but  it 
was  very  lofty,  and  the  passage  up  difficult  on  account 
of  its  having  more  than  a  hundred  steps,  and  those 
above  were  well  supplied  with  stones  and  other  means 
of  defence,  and  favored  by  our  not  having  succeeded  in 
gaining  possession  of  the  neighboring  terraces ;  in  con- 
sequence of  these  circumstances,  every  time  our  soldiers 
attempted  the  ascent,  they  came  rolling  down,  many  of 
them  severely  wounded ;  and  the  other  portions  of  the 
enemy's  force,  seeing  this,  took  courage,  and  penetrated 
to  the  very  garrison  without  fear.  Being  sensible  that 
if  they  continued  their  assaults  while  in  possession  of 
the  tower,  besides  doing  us  much  harm,  they  would  be 
encouraged  in  the  prosecution  of  the  war,  I  sallied  forth 
from  the  garrison,  although  lame  in  my  left  hand  from  a 


<  •  0  r  r 


c*«*»       t*orc 


€  C   C   C   C 


I52d.  HERNANDO   CORTES' S  LETTERS.  109 

wound  I  had  received  in  the  engagement  on  the  first  day ; 
and  having  tied  a  shield  to  my  arm,  I  advanced  to  the 
tower,  attended  by  a  number  of  Spanish  soldiers,  and 
caused  it  to  be  surrounded  at  its  base  by  a  sufficient 
number  of  men,  as  was  quite  practicable.  This  precau- 
tion was  not  a  useless  one,  as  the  troops  stationed  around 
the  tower  were  attacked  on  all  sides  by  the  enemy,  who 
increased  in  numbers  to  favor  those  within ;  in  the  mean 
time  I  began  to  ascend  the  stairs,  followed  by  certain 
Spaniards.  While  they  who  were  above  disputed  the 
ascent  with  great  courage,  and  even  overturned  three  or 
four  of  my  followers,  by  the  aid  of  God  and  his  glorious 
Mother,  for  whose  house  this  tower  had  been  designated, 
and  whose  image  had  been  placed  in  it,  we  succeeded  in 
ascending,  and  engaged  with  the  enemy  on  the  upper 
area,  until  I  compelled  them  to  leap  down  to  a  lower 
terrace  that  surrounded  it,  one  pace  in  width.  Of  these 
terraces  the  tower  had  three  or  four,  about  sixteen  feet 
one  above  the  other.  Some  of  the  enemy  fell  to  the 
very  bottom,  who,  besides  the  injury  received  from  the 
fall,  were  slain  by  the  Spanish  soldiers  stationed  around 
the  base.  Those  who  remained  on  the  upper  terraces 
fought  so  desperately  that  we  were  more  than  three  hours 
engaged  with  them  before  they  were  all  despatched  ; 
thus  all  perished,  not  one  escaping.  And  your  sacred 
Majesty  may  be  assured  that  so  arduous  was  the  attempt 
to  take  this  tower,  that  if  God  had  not  broken  their 
spirits,  twenty  of  them  would  have  been  sufficient  to  re- 
sist the  ascent  of  a  thousand  men,  although  they  fought 
with  the  greatest  valor,  even  unto  death.  I  caused  this 
tower  and  the  others  within  the  temple  to  be  burned, 
from  which  they  had  removed  the  images  we  had  placed 
in  them. 


no  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1520. 

The  fierceness  of  the  enemy  was  somewhat  abated 
by  the  capture  of  this  position ;  and  while  they  relaxed 
their  exertions  throughout  the  city  to  a  considerable 
degree,  I  directed  my  attention  to  the  neighboring 
terrace,  and  called  to  the  chiefs  who  had  before  con- 
ferred with  me,  but  were  now  somewhat  dismayed  by 
what  they  had  witnessed.  They  immediately  appeared, 
when  I  said  to  them  that  they  saw  their  inability  to  main- 
tain their  ground ;  that  we  should  every  day  do  them 
much  injury,  destroy  many  lives,  burn  and  lay  waste 
the  city;  and  that  we  should  persevere  until  nothing 
was  left  of  it  or  them.  They  answered,  that  they  were 
well  aware  much  harm  would  befall  them,  and  that  many 
of  them  would  lose  their  lives ;  but  that  they  were  still 
determined  to  make  an  end  of  us,  even  if  they  should 
all  perish  in  the  attempt ;  that  I  might  see  how  the 
streets,  public  squares,  and  terraces  were  filled  with 
people,  who  were  so  numerous  that  they  had  made  a 
calculation  that  if  twenty-five  thousand  of  them  should 
fall  to  one  of  ours,  we  would  be  first  exterminated,  so 
small  was  our  number  compared  with  theirs  ;  that  all  the 
causeways  leading  to  the  city  had  been  destroyed  (which 
was  so  far  true  that  only  one  of  them  remained),  and 
thus  we  had  no  way  of  escape  but  by  water ;  that  they 
knew  well  we  had  few  provisions  and  but  little  fresh 
water,  and  that  ere  long  we  should  perish  with  hunger, 
even  if  they  did  not  kill  us.  They  were,  indeed,  quite 
right  in  saying  that  had  we  nothing  else  to  contend 
with,  hunger  and  want  would  soon  put  an  end  to  our 
lives.  We  exchanged  many  other  words,  each  party 
sustaining  his  own  side.  As  soon  as  it  was  dark,  I  sallied 
forth  with  a  number  of  Spaniards,  and  as  I  found  the 
people  were  taken  by  surprise,  we  obtained  possession 


IS20  HERNANDO   CORTES' S  LETTERS,  m 

of  one  street,  in  which  we  burned  more  than  three  hun- 
dred houses.  While  the  enemy  were  assembling  in  that 
quarter  in  its  defence,  I  speedily  turned  into  another 
street,  where  I  also  burned  several  houses,  especially 
certain  terraces  that  adjoined  our  quarters,  from  which 
we  had  experienced  much  annoyance.  Thus  the  events 
of  that  night  struck  great  terror  into  the  enemy ;  and 
during  the  same  night  I  caused  the  engines,  that  had 
created  confusion  in  our  ranks  the  day  before,  to  be  re- 
paired and  got  in  readiness. 

The  next  morning,  in  order  to  follow  up  the  victory 
God  had  granted  us,  I  sallied  forth  at  break  of  day 
into  the  same  street  where  they  had  routed  us  the  day 
before,  and  I  found  the  enemy  not  less  prepared  for 
defence  than  they  were  on  the  former  occasion.  But 
as  our  lives  and  honor  were  now  at  stake,  and  as  that 
street  led  to  a  causeway  that  remained  unbroken,^  ex- 
tending to  the  main  land,  although  interrupted  by  eight 
bridges  very  large  and  high,  and  the  street  itself  was 
filled  with  lofty  terraces  and  towers;  we  put  forth  so 
much  resolution  and  spirit  that,  with  the  aid  of  our 
Lord,  we  secured  that  day  four  of  the  bridges,  and 
burned  all  of  the  terraces,  houses,  and  towers,  as  far  as 
the  last  of  these  bridges.  They  had  erected  during  the 
previous  night,  on  all  the  bridges,  many  strong  breast- 
works of  unburnt  bricks  and  clay,  so  that  neither  the 
guns  nor  the  crossbows  made  any  impression  on  them. 
We  filled  up  the  space  occupied  by  the  four  bridges  with 
the  unburnt  bricks  and  the  earth  from  the  breastworks, 
together  with  a  great  quantity  of  stones  and  timber 
from  the  burnt  houses,  although  this  was  not  effected 

1  This  is  the  street  to  Tacuba,  now  a  village  on  solid  ground,  which  was 
then  covered  entirely  by  the  lakes. 


112  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE,  1520. 

without  danger,  and  many  Spaniards  were  wounded. 
The  same  night  I  used  much  precaution  in  guarding 
the  bridges,  lest  the  enemy  should  succeed  in  recovering 
them. 

The  next  day  in  the  morning  I  made  another  sally 
from  our  quarters,  and  God  gave  us  again  success  and 
victory,  although  the  enemy  appeared  in  great  numbers, 
and  defended  the  bridges,  protected  by  strong  en- 
trenchments and  ditches  which  they  had  formed  during 
the  night ;  we  took  them  all,  and  covered  them  up ;  and 
some  of  our  horsemen  followed  at  the  heels  of  the  fugi- 
tives in  the  heat  of  victory,  and  pursued  them  to  the 
main  land.  While  I  was  employed  in  repairing  the 
bridges  and  filling  them  up,  messengers  came  to  me  in 
great  haste,  reporting  that  the  enemy  had  attacked  the 
garrison,  and  at  the  same  time  had  sued  for  peace, 
several  of  their  leaders  being  in  waiting  to  see  me.  I 
immediately  went  with  two  horsemen  to  see  what  they 
wanted.  These  men  assured  me  that  if  I  would  engage 
not  to  punish  them  for  what  they  had  done,  they  would 
raise  the  blockade,  replace  the  bridges  that  had  been 
destroyed,  and  restore  the  causeways,  and  that  hereafter 
they  would  serve  your  Majesty  as  they  had  before  done. 
They  also  requested  that  I  would  bring  them  a  priest  of 
theirs  whom  I  had  taken  prisoner,  who  was,  as  it  were, 
the  commander-in-chief  of  their  religion.  He  came  and 
addressed  them,  and  brought  about  an  arrangement 
between  me  and  them  ;  and  it  appeared  that  they  imme- 
diately despatched  messengers  to  inform  the  captains 
and  the  people  who  were  in  the  camp  that  the  attacks 
on  the  garrison  and  all  other  offensive  operations 
should  cease.  Upon  this  being  done  we  took  leave  of 
them,  and  I  went  to  the  garrison  to  procure  some  food. 


1520.  HERNANDO  CORTES'S  LETTERS.  II3 

While  I  was  beginning  to  take  some  refreshment,  infor- 
mation was  brought  me  in  great  haste  that  the  Indians 
had  attacked  the  bridges  which  we  had  taken  the  same 
day,  and  had  killed  certain  Spaniards.  God  only  knows 
with  what  feelings  I  received  this  intelligence,  since  I 
had  thought  that  we  had  nothing  more  to  trouble  us 
after  having  gained  the  possession  of  the  avenue  lead- 
ing out  of  the  city.  I  mounted  in  the  greatest  possible 
haste,  and  galloped  the  whole  length  of  the  street,  fol- 
lowed by  a  few  horsemen ;  and  without  stopping  a 
moment  I  dashed  in  amongst  the  Indians,  and  put  them 
to  flight  whilst  I  regained  the  bridges,  and  pursued 
them  to  the  main  land.  As  the  infantry  were  wearied, 
wounded,  and  panic-struck,  they  did  not  follow  me,  and 
I  saw  the  dangerous  situation  in  which  I  was  placed 
from  being  unsupported  by  them.  On  this  account, 
after  having  passed  the  bridges,  when  I  sought  to  return 
I  found  them  in  possession  of  the  enemy,  and  sunk  to  a 
great  depth  where  we  had  filled  them  up;  and  both 
sides  of  the  causeway  were  covered  with  people,  on  the 
land  and  water,  who  galled  us  with  stones  and  arrows 
to  such  a  degree  that  if  God  had  not  been  pleased  to 
interpose  mysteriously  in  our  behalf,  it  would  have  been 
impossible  for  us  to  escape  thence ;  and,  indeed,  it  was 
rumored  amongst  the  people  in  the  city  that  I  was  dead. 
When  I  reached  the  last  bridge  next  the  city  I  found 
all  the  cavalry  that  had  accompanied  me  fallen  in,  and 
one  horse  without  a  rider ;  and  as  in  this  situation  I 
could  not  pass,  I  rushed  alone  against  the  enemy,  and 
thus  opened  a  passage  by  which  the  horsemen  could 
extricate  themselves.  After  this  I  found  the  bridge 
free  and  passed  over,  although  with  some  trouble,  as  I 
had  to  leap  my  horse  in  one  place  nearly  six  feet  from 

8 


114  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1520. 

one  side  to  the  other ;  but  as  I  and  my  horse  were  well 
protected  by  armor  the  enemy  did  us  no  harm  more 
than  to  cause  our  bodies  a  little  pain. 

Thus  the  enemy  that  night  came  off  victorious,  having 
regained  four  of  the  bridges.  The  other  four  I  left 
well  guarded,  and  returned  to  the  garrison,  where  I  con- 
structed a  bridge  of  timber  that  could  be  carried  by 
forty  men.  Seeing  the  dangerous  situation  in  which  we 
were  now  placed,  and  the  very  serious  injury  that  the 
Indians  were  doing  us  every  day ;  and  fearing  that  they 
would  also  destroy  the  remaining  causeway,  as  they  had 
done  the  others,  and  when  that  was  effected  death 
would  be  our  inevitable  fate ;  and  moreover,  having 
been  often  entreated  by  all  my  companions  to  abandon 
the  place,  the  greater  part  of  whom  were  so  badly 
wounded  as  to  be  disabled  from  fighting,  I  determined 
to  quit  the  city  that  night.  I  took  all  the  gold  and 
jewels  belonging  to  your  Majesty  that  could  be  re- 
moved and  placed  them  in  one  apartment,  where  I 
delivered  it  in  parcels  to  the  officers  of  your  Highness, 
whom  I  had  designated  for  this  purpose  in  the  royal 
name ;  and  I  begged  and  desired  the  alcaldes,  regidores, 
and  all  the  people,  to  aid  me  in  removing  and  preserv- 
ing this  treasure  \  I  gave  up  my  mare  to  carry  as  much 
as  she  could  bear ;  and  I  selected  certain  Spaniards,  as 
well  my  own  servants  as  others,  to  accompany  the  gold 
and  the  mare,  and  the  rest  the  magistrates  above  men- 
tioned and  myself  distributed  amongst  the  Spaniards, 
to  be  borne  by  them.  Abandoning  the  garrison,  together 
with  much  wealth  belonging  to  your  Highness,  the 
Spaniards  and  myself,  I  went  forth  as  secretly  as  pos- 
sible, taking  with  me  a  son  and  two  daughters  of 
Muteczuma^  and  Cacamacin,  cacique  of  Aculuacan,  with 
1  This  is  always  the  spelling  in  Cortes's  letters. 


1520.  HERNANDO   CORTES'S  LETTERS.  II5 

his  brother,  whom  I  had  appointed  in  his  place,  and 
several  other  governors  of  provinces  and  cities  that  I 
had  taken  prisoners. 

Arriving  at  the  bridges  (now  broken  up)  which  the 
Indians  had  left,  the  bridge  that  I  carried  was  thrown 
over  where  the  first  of  them  had  been,  without  much 
difficulty,  as  there  was  none  to  offer  resistance,  except 
some  watchmen  who  were  stationed  there,  and  who 
uttered  so  loud  cries,  that  before  we  had  arrived  at  the 
second  an  immense  multitude  of  the  enemy  assailed  us, 
fighting  in  every  direction,  both  by  land  and  water.  I 
sallied  across  with  great  speed,  followed  by  five  horse- 
men and  a  hundred  foot,  with  whom  I  passed  all  the 
(broken)  bridges  swimming,  and  reached  the  main  land. 
Leaving  the  people  who  formed  this  advance  party,  I 
returned  to  the  rear,  where  I  found  the  troops  hotly  en- 
gaged ;  it  is  incalculable  how  much  our  people  suffered, 
as  well  Spaniards  as  our  Indian  allies  of  Tascaltecal, 
nearly  all  of  whom  perished,  together  with  many  native 
Spaniards  and  horses,  besides  the  loss  of  the  gold, 
jewels,  cotton  cloth,  and  many  other  things  we  had 
brought  away,  including  the  artillery.  Having  collected 
all  that  were  alive,  I  sent  them  on  before,  while  with 
three  or  four  horse  and  about  twenty  foot  that  dared  to 
remain  with  me,  I  followed  in  the  rear,  incessantly  en- 
gaged with  the  Indians,  until  we  at  length  reached  a  city 
called  Tacuba  (Tlacopan),  beyond  the  causeway,  after 
encountering  a  degree  of  toil  and  danger,  the  extent  of 
which  God  only  knows.  As  often  as  I  turned  against 
the  enemy,  I  met  a  shower  of  arrows  and  darts  and 
stones,  and  there  being  water  on  both  sides,  they  assailed 
us  without  exposing  themselves,  and  without  fear ;  for 
when  we  attacked  them  on  the  causeway,  they  imme- 


Il6  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1520. 

diately  leapt  into  the  water,  receiving  little  hurt,  except 
some  few,  who,  when  the  multitude  was  so  great  as  to 
trample  upon  one  another,  fell  and  perished.  Thus  with 
great  labor  and  fatigue  I  brought  off  all  this  portion  of 
our  force  without  any  of  the  Spaniards  or  Indians  being 
wounded  or  slain,  except  one  of  the  horse  that  had  gone 
with  me  to  the  rear,  where  they  fought  with  no  less  fury 
than  in  front  or  on  the  flanks,  although  the  hottest  part 
of  the  fight  was  in  the  extreme  rear,  where  our  men  were 
constantly  exposed  to  fresh  attacks  from  the  inhabitants 
of  the  city. 

Having  reached  the  city  of  Tacuba,  I  found  all  our 
people  gathered  together  in  the  square,  not  knowing 
where  to  go ;  I  gave  immediate  directions  to  march 
into  the  country,  before  the  inhabitants  should  collect  in 
greater  numbers  in  the  city,  and  that  they  should  take 
possession  of  the  terraces,  as  the  enemy  would  be  likely 
to  do  us  much  injury  from  them.  Those  who  had  led 
the  van,  saying  that  they  knew  not  in  which  direction  to 
leave  the  city,  I  bade  them  remain  with  the  rear,  while 
I  took  command  of  the  van  until  I  had  led  them  out 
into  the  open  fields,  where  I  waited  till  the  rest  came 
up.  When  the  rear  arrived,  I  saw  that  they  had  suffered 
some  loss,  and  that  they  had  left  on  the  road  much  gold, 
which  the  Indians  had  seized.  I  remained  there  until 
all  our  people  had  arrived,  closely  pursued  by  the  enemy. 
I  kept  the  enemy  at  bay  until  the  infantry  had  taken 
possession  of  a  hill  on  which  there  was  a  tower  with  a 
strong  building,  which  they  took  without  suffering  any 
loss,  and  I  maintained  my  position,  not  suffering  the 
enemy  to  advance,  until  the  hill  was  taken ;  ^  and  God 

1  Called  the  hill  of  Muteczuma,  on  which  is  now  a  celebrated  sanctuary 
of  the  Lady  de  los  Remedies. 


MONTEZUMA 


1520.  HERNANDO  CORTES' S  LETTERS.  \\J 

only  knows  the  toil  and  fatigue  with  which  it  was  accom- 
plished ;  for  of  twenty-four  horses  that  remained  to  us, 
there  was  not  one  that  could  move  briskly,  nor  a  horse- 
man able  to  raise  his  arm,  nor  a  foot-soldier  unhurt  who 
could  make  any  effort.  When  we  had  reached  the  build- 
ing, we  fortified  ourselves  in  it ;  and  the  enemy  invested 
it,  remaining  till  night  without  allowing  us  an  hour  of 
rest. 

In  this  defeat  it  was  ascertained  that  one  hundred 
and  fifty  Spaniards  lost  their  lives,  together  with  forty- 
five  mares  and  horses,  and  more  than  two  thousand 
Indians,  our  auxiliaries ;  amongst  the  latter  were  the  son 
and  daughters  of  Muteczuma,  and  the  other  caciques 
whom  we  had  taken  prisoners.  The  same  night  ^  about 
midnight,  thinking  that  we  were  not  perceived,  we  sallied 
forth  from  the  building  very  secretly,  leaving  in  it  many 
lighted  fires,  without  knowing  our  route,  nor  where  to  go, 
except  that  one  of  the  Tascaltecal  Indians  who  guided 
us  promised  to  lead  us  to  his  country,  if  the  enemy  did 
not  embarrass  the  route.  But  guards  had  been  stationed 
around  who  noticed  our  movements,  and  gave  the  alarm 
to  the  multitudes  of  people  dwelling  in  that  vicinity,  of 
whom  great  numbers  were  collected,  who  pursued  us 
until  daylight,  when  five  horsemen  who  went  before  as 
runners  attacked  some  squadrons  of  people  on  the  road, 
and  killed  a  number  of  them ;  these  fled,  supposing  that 
there  was  a  greater  number  of  horse  and  foot  than  ap- 
peared. When  I  saw  that  the  number  of  the  enemy  was 
increasing  on  all  sides,  I  made  a  disposition  of  our  force, 
and  out  of  those  remaining  unhurt  I  formed  squadrons, 
and  placed  them  in  front  and  rear,  and  on  the  flanks  ; 
I  put  the  wounded  in  the  centre ;  and  I  also  arranged 

*  This  is  the  night  known  as  the  sorrowful  night,  la  noche  iriste. 


Il8  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1520. 

the  position  of  the  horse.  During  the  whole  of  that  day 
we  were  engaged  in  fighting  in  every  direction,  so  that 
during  the  whole  night  and  day  we  did  not  advance  more 
than  three  leagues.  It  pleased  our  Lord  when  the  night 
came  to  show  us  a  tower  and  a  good  house  on  a  hill, 
where  we  entrenched  ourselves  ;  and  that  night  the 
enemy  left  us  undisturbed,  except  that  near  the  dawn  of 
day  there  was  a  sudden  alarm  that  only  sprung  from  the 
constant  apprehension  we  all  had  of  the  multitude  of 
people  that  was  continually  at  our  heels. 

"You  see,"  said  Uncle  Fritz,  "that  it  was  not  all 
sunshine  with  Cortes.  Now  you  shall  read  something 
of  his  resource  as  an  explorer." 

EXTRACT   FROM   CORTES'S   FIFTH   LETTER. 

One  day  the  idea  struck  me  that  by  following  down 
the  river  of  that  village  I  might  perhaps  come  to  the 
other  large  river  that  empties  itself  in  the  sweet  gulfs, 
where  I  had  left  my  brigantine,  as  well  as  my  boats  and 
canoes.  I  consulted  the  matter  with  some  of  the  pris- 
oners of  that  village,  and  they  all  seemed  to  agree  in 
saying  that  the  two  rivers  communicated ;  but  as  they 
did  not  understand  us  well,  and  they  spoke  a  language 
totally  different  from  those  we  had  hitherto  met,  no  great 
reliance  could  be  placed  in  their  information.  Through 
signs,  however,  and  aided  by  a  few  words  in  that  lan- 
guage which  I  understood,  I  begged  that  two  of  them 
should  accompany  ten  of  my  Spaniards,  and  show  them 
the  meeting  of  the  two  rivers.  This  they  promised  to  do, 
adding  that  the  place  was  near  at  hand,  and  that  they 
would  be  back  on  the  next  day.  And  so  it  was,  for  God 
permitted  that  after  marching  two  leagues  through  very 


1520.  THE  APOLOCHIC  RIVER.  119 

fine  orchards,  full  of  cacao  and  other  fruit  trees,  they 
should  guide  my  men  to  the  banks  of  that  large  river, 
which  they  said  communicated  with  the  gulf,  where  my 
shipping  was.  They  even  went  so  far  as  to  say  that  the 
river's  name  was  Apolochic,  and  that  they  had  often 
navigated  it.  On  their  return,  the  next  day,  I  asked 
them  how  many  days  it  would  take  a  canoe  to  go  down 
the  river  to  the  gulfs,  and  having  answered  me  that  five 
days  were  sufficient  to  accomplish  the  journey,  I  deter- 
mined upon  sending  thither  two  Spaniards,  accompanied 
by  one  of  the  guides,  who  offered  to  take  them  by  cross- 
roads known  to  him  to  the  very  spot  on  the  gulf  where 
my  ships  were.  I  gave  my  men  instructions  to  have  the 
brigantine,  boats,  and  canoes  taken  to  the  mouth  of  that 
large  river,  and  that,  leaving  the  vessel  behind,  they 
should  try  with  one  of  the  canoes  and  a  boat  to  ascend 
the  river  to  the  spot  where  the  other  one  joined  it.  This 
being  done,  and  the  men  despatched  on  their  errand,  I 
ordered  four  rafts  to  be  constructed  with  pieces  of 
timber  and  very  large  bamboos,  capable  of  supporting 
forty  faneagues  or  bushels  of  dried  maize,  and  ten  men 
each,  without  counting  a  quantity  of  beans,  peppers,  and 
cacao,  which  each  Spaniard  afterwards  threw  into  it  for 
his  own  private  supply.  The  rafts  being  made,  after 
eight  days'  hard  work,  and  the  provisions  placed  on 
them,  the  Spaniards  I  had  sent  to  the  brigantine  came 
to  me  and  said  that,  after  ascending  the  river  during  six 
consecutive  days,  they  had  found  it  impossible  for  the 
boat  to  go  on,  and  had  left  it  behind  with  ten  Spaniards 
to  guard  it ;  that,  prosecuting  their  journey  with  the 
canoe,  they  had  arrived  at  a  place,  about  one  league 
down  the  river,  where,  worn  out  by  fatigue,  and  unable 
to  use  their  oars,  they  had  left  it  hidden  among  the 


I20  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  152a 

bushes;  that  on  their  way  up  the  river  they  had  met 
Indians,  and  fought  occasionally  with  them,  and  although 
they  were  then  few  in  number,  they  had  reason  to  fear 
that  they  would  come  back  in  force,  and  wait  for  their 
return.  I  immediately  sent  people  to  look  out  for  the 
canoe,  and  bring  it  alongside  of  the  rafts  ;  and  having 
placed  on  these  all  the  provisions  we  had  collected, 
chose  among  my  people  those  who  were  most  capable 
of  directing  those  rafts,  and  avoiding  by  means  of  great 
poles  the  many  floating  timbers  and  gigantic  trees  with 
which  the  bed  of  the  river  was  covered,  and  which  ren- 
dered the  navigation  extremely  dangerous.  The  remain- 
der of  my  people,  under  a  captain  appointed  for  the 
purpose,  I  sent  to  the  gulf  by  the  same  route  which  we 
had  followed  in  coming  up  to  Chacujal,  with  instructions 
that  if  they  arrived  before  me  they  were  to  wait  at  the 
place  of  our  landing  until  I  should  come  for  them,  and 
that  if,  on  the  contrary,  I  was  before  them  on  the  spot, 
I  would  not  move  until  they  came.  As  to  myself,  I  em- 
barked in  the  canoe  with  only  two  cross-bow  men,  the 
only  ones  disposable  in  all  my  suite.  Though  the 
journey  I  was  about  to  undertake  was  exceedingly  dan- 
gerous, owing  to  the  impetuosity  and  strength  of  the 
current,  as  well  as  the  almost  certainty  that  the  Indians 
would  wait  for  us  on  our  passage,  I  nevertheless  pre- 
ferred this  route  by  water  to  the  other  by  water,  because 
our  stock  of  provisions  went  this  way,  and  I  could  thus 
watch  better  over  it.  And  so,  trusting  myself  in  the 
hands  of  God,  our  Saviour,  I  began  descending  the 
river  with  such  rapidity,  owing  to  the  strength  and  vio- 
lence of  the  current,  that  in  less  than  three  hours'  navi- 
gation we  came  to  the  spot  where  the  boat  had  been  left, 
^iere  we  attempted  to  lighten  the  rafts  by  putting  part 


1520.  PASSING   THE  RAPIDS.  121 

of  their  cargo  in  the  boat,  but  it  was  found  impracticable, 
for  no  human  effort  could  stop  the  rafts,  driven  on  as 
they  were  by  a  rapid  current.  I  then  embarked  in  the 
boat,  and  gave  orders  that  the  canoe,  well  fitted  with 
good  oars,  should  go  in  front  of  the  rafts,  in  order  to  see 
whether  any  Indians  lay  in  ambush,  or  whether  we  came 
to  any  dangerous  pass  in  the  river ;  I  myself  remaining 
behind  with  the  boat  ready  to  give  assistance  to  the 
rafts,  as  it  was  clear  to  me  that,  in  case  of  need;  I  might 
more  easily  help  from  the  rear  than  if  placed  in  the  van. 
In  this  order  we  went  down  that  river,  until  about  sun- 
set, when  one  of  the  rafts  struck  violently  against  a 
piece  of  timber  that  held  fast  to  the  bottom.  So  strong 
was  the  shock,  that  the  raft  was  almost  entirely  sub- 
merged, and  although  the  violence  of  the  waters  at  that 
spot  made  it  float  again,  half  its  cargo  was  lost.  Three 
hours  later  in  the  night,  I  heard  in  front  of  us  the  shout- 
ing of  some  Indians,  but  not  choosing  to  leave  the  rafts 
behind,  I  did  not  go  forward  to  ascertain  what  it  might 
be.  The  shouting,  however,  ceased,  and  we  heard  no 
more  of  it  for  some  time.  A  little  later  in  the  night  I 
again  heard  the  shouts,  at  what  seemed  to  me  a  shorter 
distance ;  but  I  could  not  ascertain  the  fact,  for  the 
canoe  went,  as  I  have  said,  in  front,  and  then  three  of  the 
rafts,  and  I  followed  in  the  rear  with  the  fourth,  which, 
owing  to  the  accident  sustained,  could  not  go  so  fast. 

In  this  manner  we  proceeded  for  some  length  of 
time,  until  we  came  to  a  turning  of  the  river,  where  the 
current  was  so  strong  that,  notwithstanding  all  our 
efforts,  rafts  and  boat  were  cast  on  shore. 

Some  time  before  this,  hearing  no  longer  those  alarm- 
ing shouts,  confidence  had  returned  to  my  people,  and 
I  myself,  taking  off  my  helmet  —  for  I  was  ill  with  fever 


122  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1520. 

at  the  time  —  had  laid  my  head  on  my  hand  to  see  if  I 
could  rest.  It  was  soon,  however,  ascertained  that  the 
shouting  we  had  heard  in  the  distance  came  from  that 
particular  spot,  for  the  Indians,  who  knew  the  river  well, 
as  inhabiting  its  banks,  and  being  almost  born  on  it, 
had  followed  us  for  some  time  along  the  shore,  knowing 
very  well  that  we  should  be  cast  by  the  current  on  the 
very  spot  where  they  were  waiting  in  ambush  for  us. 
No  sooner,  therefore,  did  the  canoe  and  rafts  reach  the 
place  where  the  Indians  lay  concealed  than  we  were 
assailed  by  a  volley  of  arrows  from  the  shore  that 
wounded  almost  every  man  on  board ;  though,  knowing 
that  most  of  us  remained  still  behind,  the  attack  of 
the  Indians  was  by  no  means  so  strong  or  furious  as 
the  one  they  afterwards  made  on  us.  Thus  assailed,  the 
people  in  the  canoe  attempted  to  come  back  and  give 
me  notice  of  the  danger,  but  they  never  succeeded  in 
porting  the  helm,  owing  to  the  strength  of  the  current. 
When,  however,  it  came  to  our  turn  to  strike  the  land, 
the  Indians  gave  a  most  terrific  shout,  and  assailed  us 
with  such  a  volley  of  arrows  and  stones  that  not  one 
man  on  board  escaped  without  a  wound.  I,  myself,  was 
struck  by  a  stone  on  the  head,  the  only  part  of  my  body 
that  was  unarmed,  having  taken  off  my  steel  cap  some 
time  before.  God,  however,  permitted  that  at  the  spot 
where  this  happened  the  banks  of  the  river  should  be 
high  and  the  waters  deep.  To  this  circumstance  we 
owed  our  salvation  ;  for  the  night  being  dark,  some  of 
the  Indians  who  attempted  to  leap  upon  the  rafts  and 
boat  fell  into  the  water,  and  I  believe  that  a  good  num- 
ber of  them  were  drowned  in  this  way.  The  current 
itself  soon  extricated  us  from  the  danger,  so  that  a  few 
minutes  after  this  we  scarcely  heard  their  shouts. 


152a  THE   GULF  REACHED.  1 23 

The  rest  of  the  night  passed  without  encounter  of 
any  sort,  though  from  time  to  time  we  still  heard  in  the 
distance,  or  from  the  sides  of  the  river,  the  Indian  war- 
cries. 

The  shores,  I  observed,  were  covered  with  villages 
and  plantations,  and  there  were,  besides,  many  fine 
orchards  with  cacao  and  other  fruit  trees. 

At  dawn  of  day  we  were  five  leagues  from  the  mouth 
of  that  river  that  empties  itself  into  the  gulf,  and  where 
the  brigantine  was  waiting  for  us,  and  about  the  hour  of 
noon  we  arrived  on  the  spot,  so  that  in  four-and-twenty 
hours  we  ran  no  less  than  twenty  long  leagues  down 
that  river. 

Having  given  orders  that  the  provisions  on  the  rafts 
should  be  transferred  immediately  to  the  brigantine,  I 
was  informed,  to  my  great  disappointment,  that  most  of 
the  maize  was  wet,  and  that  if  I  could  not  have  it  dried 
I  ran  a  risk  of  losing  the  whole  stock,  whereby  all  the 
trouble  we  had  in  procuring  it  would  have  proved  in 
vain.  I  immediately  caused  the  dry  maize  to  be  put 
aside  and  stored  in  the  brigantine,  and  as  to  that  which 
had  been  spoilt  by  water,  I  had  it  thrown  into  the  two 
boats  and  in  two  canoes,  and  sent  it  in  haste  to  the 
village  for  the  purpose  of  drying;  the  shores  of  that 
gulf  being  so  swampy  and  low  that  there  was  no  spot, 
however  small,  where  the  operation  could  be  effectually 
carried  on.  My  men,  therefore,  went  away  with  the 
boats  and  canoes,  but  I  gave  them  orders  to  send  the 
same  back  to  me,  the  brigantine  and  one  remaining 
canoe  being  sufficient  to  convey  all  my  people.  Soon 
after  their  departure  I  set  sail  in  the  brigantine,  and 
steered  towards  the  place  where  it  was  agreed  that  I 
should  wait  for  the  people  coming  from  Chacujal  by 


124  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  152a- 

land.  I  waited  for  them  three  days,  at  the  end  of  which 
they  all  arrived  in  good  spirits,  and  with  no  other  loss 
but  that  of  a  Spaniard,  who  having  eaten  of  some  herbs 
he  saw  in  the  fields  died  almost  immediately  after. 
They  also  brought  with  them  an  Indian,  whom  they  had 
surprised  and  taken  prisoner  near  the  place  where  I  left 
them.  This  Indian  was  dressed  differently  and  spoke 
a  language  unknown  in  these  parts.  I  had  already 
begun  to  interrogate  him  by  signs,  when  a  man  was 
found  among  the  prisoners  who  said  he  understood  a 
little  of  his  dialect.  In  this  manner  we  learned  that  he 
was  a  native  of  Teculutlan.  No  sooner  did  I  hear  that 
name  pronounced  than  I  recollected  having  heard  it 
repeated  on  other  occasions,  and  when  I  returned  to 
the  village  I  consulted  certain  memoranda  of  mine, 
where  I  actually  found  that  name  written  as  being  that 
of  a  place  across  the  country,  between  which  and  the 
Spanish  establishments  in  the  South  Sea,  governed  by 
Pedro  de  Alvarado,  one  of  my  captains,  there  was  only 
a  distance  of  seventy-eight  leagues.  The  above  mem- 
oranda further  stated  that  the  village  of  Teculutlan 
had  been  visited  by  Spaniards,  and  as  the  Indian  bore 
also  testimony  to  the  fact,  I  was  very  much  pleased  at 
receiving  such  intelligence. 

My  people  being  all  congregated  together,  and  the 
boats  not  having  yet  returned,  we  consumed  all  the  dry 
grain  we  had  in  store,  and  embarked  on  board  the  brig- 
antine,  though,  the  vessel  being  so  very  small,  we  had 
the  greatest  difficulty  to  move.  It  was  my  idea  to  cross 
the  gulf  to  that  village  where  we  had  landed  at  first, 
because  I  recollected  that  the  maize  plantations  were 
very  fine  and  in  full  grain,  though  not  sufficiently  ripe 
for  our  cutting.     Five-and-twenty  days  had  elapsed  since 


I520.  CAN  CORTES  BE  BELIEVED?  125 

that  time,  and  it  was  to  be  hoped  that  a  good  deal  of  it 
was  dry  enough  for  us  to  keep  ;  and  it  so  happened ;  for 
being  one  morning  in  the  middle  of  the  gulf  we  saw  the 
boats  and  canoes  coming  towards  us,  and,  having  sailed 
altogether  in  that  direction,  recognized  the  place  where 
the  village  was.  Immediately  after  landing,  all  my  peo- 
ple, Spaniards  as  well  as  Indians,  besides  forty  native 
prisoners,  went  straight  forward  to  the  village,  where 
they  found  several  maize  plantations  in  the  finest  pos- 
sible condition.  The  natives,  if  there  were  any  at  the 
place,  not  having  shown  themselves  or  made  any  oppo- 
sition, my  men  reaped  as  much  of  that  maize  as  they 
could,  every  man  of  us.  Christian  or  Indian,  making 
that  day  three  journeys,  fortunately  very  short,  from  the 
village  to  the  ship,  loaded  with  as  much  grain  as  he 
could  carry.  The  brigantine  being  filled  as  well  as  the 
boats,  I  went  to  the  village  myself,  leaving  there  all  my 
people  engaged  in  that  most  providential  harvest;  I 
afterwards  sent  to  them  the  two  boats,  and  one  more 
belonging  to  a  vessel  from  New  Spain,  and  that  had  been 
lost  in  those  waters,  and  four  canoes.  In  these  vessels 
all  my  people  embarked,  after  having,  as  I  said  before, 
brought  sufficient  provision  to  last  us  all  for  many  a 
day.  It  was,  indeed,  a  most  providential  supply,  and 
one  that  compensated  us  for  all  our  past  troubles ;  for 
had  we  not  found  it  at  that  moment  we  should  all  have 
perished  through  hunger. 

"  How  much  of  the  Cortes  wonders  do  you  believe, 
Uncle  Fritz  ? " 

This  was  Horace  Feltham's  question. 

Uncle  Fritz  said  that  there  were  two  sets  of  opinions 
about  it.     For  himself,  when  Cortes  squarely  said  that 


126  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  152a 

a  thing  was  thus  and  so,  he  took  it  as  probably  true, 
with  due  allowance  for  a  man's  praise  of  his  own 
achievements,  and  for  Spanish  and  travellers*  exaggera- 
tion. 

But  a  great  deal  of  what  you  find  in  the  received  ac- 
counts of  the  conquest  must  be  set  down  as  belonging 
to  the  same  school  of  romance  as  in  the  same  days 
wrote  tales  of  chivalry  or  lives  of  saints.  Especially 
where  men  do  not  tell  what  they  saw  themselves  must 
you  be  careful  when  you  are  dealing  with  these  Spanish 
authorities. 


VI. 

FRA  MARCO   AND  CORONADO. 

WHEN  the  children  came  in  the  next  week  they 
found  Col.  Ingham's  large  study-table  cleared 
from  books  and  papers,  and  quite  covered  with  a  dis- 
play of  earthenware. 

Blanche  asked  if  there  were  to  be  an  aesthetic  wed- 
ding; she  told  him  his  table  seemed  to  be  covered 
with  wedding  presents. 

"  I  do  not  know  how  the  young  brides  would  like  my 
crockery,"  said  the  colonel,  laughing,  "but  you  see  I 
could  fit  out  any  of  you."  There  was  a  gigantic  soup- 
tureen,  pitchers  of  grotesque  shapes,  curious  water- 
bottles  for  travellers  to  carry  at  their  sides,  and  every 
sort  of  cup,  of  saucer,  and  tall  vases.  The  material  of 
some  was  black ;  of  the  tureen  and  most  of  the  larger 
objects  yellow  ware,  painted  with  quaint  pictures  of 
beasts  and  of  birds  and  sometimes  of  men. 

He  bade  them  see  how  closely  these  things  resembled 
the  pottery  dug  from  the  western  mounds,  which  he  had 
shown  them  when  they  went  with  him  to  the  Peabody 
Museum  in  Cambridge ;  and,  at  a  nod  from  him,  Tom 
Rising  took  down  the  first  volume  of  Bryant's  History, 
which  is  really  "  Gay's,"  and  which  is  for  young  people 
a  good  history  of  the  United  States.  Here  they  found 
pictures  of  earthenware  from  the  mounds,  and  the  chil- 


128  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1880. 

dren  engaged  eagerly  in  comparing  them  with  specimens 
on  the  table. 

Over  the  sofa  was  thrown  a  great  rug,  woven  or  knit 
in  black  and  white  wool,  and  smaller  rugs  or  mats  of 
the  same  size  hung  over  the  chairs. 

"  Are  they  from  the  mounds,  Uncle  Fritz  ? " 

"  These  are  not,"  said  he  ;  "  these  are  all  modern,  so 
far  as  I  know.  Your  mother,  Blanche,  has  just  now  come 
back  from  Santa  Barbara,  and  I  dare  say  some  of  these 
hard-working  people  sold  her  some  of  their  rugs.  They 
keep  up  their  native  industries  and  sometimes  come  to 
the  stations  to  sell  their  work.  Through  New  Mexico  and 
Arizona,  the  road  passes  quite  near  to  the  pueblos,  as  they 
are  called,  of  these  industrious  Indians,  who,  under  differ- 
ent names,  have  always  held  those  valleys.  They  are 
people  who  believe  in  the  'Together.'  The  necessity  of 
uniting  to  irrigate  the  land  holds  them  together.  They 
live  in  these  houses,  two,  three,  or  four  stories  high,  of 
which  Mr.  Cargill  has  lent  us  these  pictures." 

And  then  Uncle  Fritz  showed  them  some  beautiful 
photographic  views  of  the  "pueblos,"  or  villages. 
"Pueblos,"  which  originally  means  "peoples,"  is  the 
name  which  the  Spaniards  of  Mexico  give  to  any  such 
town. 

"  By  keeping  together  in  these  towns,  which  are  almost 
fortresses,  they  have  defied  the  roving  Indians,  like  the 
Camanches  and  the  Apaches,  since  Cortes's  day.  In- 
deed, the  Spaniards  found  them  an  even  match." 

Then  the  children  found  that  Col.  Ingham  had  laid 
out  for  them  the  original  records,  which  are  still  rare, 
of  the  first  Spanish  explorations.  Eager  for  more  gold, 
the  viceroy  Mendoga  sent,  as  early  as  1540,  an  expe- 
dition to  discover  this  country  under  Coronado.    It  was 


tSAO-  FATHER  MARCO   THE  LIAR.  129 

a  party  of  three  hundred  Spaniards  with  eight  hundred 
native  Mexicans. 

They  were  tempted  to  it  by  the  lying  stories  of  Father 
Marco,  who  is  one  of  the  princes  of  lying. 

"  Four  Spaniards,  one  of  whom  was  a  negro,  named 
Stephen,  had  crossed  the  continent  from  the  Gulf  of 
Mexico,  after  the  failure  of  Narvaez.  You  will  find 
about  them  in  the  first  volume  of  the  Popular  History 
there,  Bryant's.  Father  Marco  got  hold  of  the  negro, 
and,  under  his  guidance,  went  north  from  the  then 
settled  parts  of  Mexico.  When  he  came  home  he  told 
a  grand  rigmarole  about  these  pueblos,  which  probably 
looked  then  very  much  as  they  look  now. 

"  Here  is  a  part  of  his  letter  in  your  dear  old  Hak- 
luyt." 

Blanche  read  aloud  what  Uncle  Fritz  had  marked  for 
her. 

Thus  I  travelled  three  days*  journey  through  towns 
inhabited  by  the  same  people,  of  whom  I  was  received 
as  I  was  of  those  which  I  had  passed,  and  came  into  a 
town  of  reasonable  bigness,  called  Vacupa,  where  they 
showed  me  great  courtesies,  and  gave  me  great  store  of 
good  victuals,  because  the  soil  is  very  fruitful,  and  may 
be  watered.  This  town  is  forty  leagues  distant  from  the 
sea,  and  because  I  was  so  far  from  the  sea,  it  being  two 
days  before  Passion  Sunday,  I  determined  to  stay  there 
until  Easter,  to  inform  myself  of  the  islands,  whereof  I 
said  before  that  I  had  information ;  and  so  I  sent  certain 
Indians  to  the  sea  by  three  several  ways,  whom  I  com- 
manded to  bring  me  some  Indians  of  the  sea-coast  and 
some  of  those  islands,  that  I  might  receive  information 
of   them;  and    I   sent   Stephen  Dorantez,  the   negro, 

9 


I30  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  154a 

another  way,  whom  I  commanded  to  go  directly  north- 
ward, fifty  or  threescore  leagues,  to  see  if  by  that  way 
he  might  learn  any  news  of  any  notable  thing  which  we 
sought  to  discover.  And  I  agreed  with  him  that  if  he 
found  any  knowledge  of  any  peopled  and  rich  country 
which  were  of  great  importance,  that  he  should  go  no 
farther,  but  should  return  in  person,  or  should  send  me 
certain  Indians  with  that  token  which  we  were  agreed 
upon,  that  if  it  were  but  a  mean  thing  he  should  send 
me  a  white  cross  one  handfuU  long ;  and  if  it  were  any 
great  matter,  one  of  two  handsfuU  long ;  and  if  it  were 
a  country  greater  and  better  than  Nueva  Espana,  he 
should  send  me  a  great  cross.  So  the  said  Stephen 
departed  from  me  on  Passion  Sunday  after  dinner,  and 
within  four  days  after  the  messengers  of  Stephen  re- 
turned unto  me  with  a  great  cross  as  high  as  a  man,  and 
they  brought  me  word  from  Stephen  that  I  should  forth- 
with come  away  after  him,  for  he  had  found  people 
which  gave  him  information  of  a  very  mighty  Province, 
and  that  he  had  certain  Indians  in  his  company  which 
had  been  in  the  said  Province,  and  that  he  had  sent  me 
one  of  the  said  Indians.  This  Indian  told  me  that  it 
was  thirty  days'  journey  from  the  town  where  Stephen 
was,  into  the  first  city  of  the  said  Province,  which  is 
called  Cevola.  He  said  also  that  there  are  seven  great 
cities  in  this  Province,  all  under  one  Lord ;  the  houses 
are  made  of  lime  and  stone,  and  are  very  great ;  and 
the  least  of  them  with  one  loft  overhead,  and  some  of 
them  two  and  three  lofts,  and  the  house  of  the  lord  of 
the  Province  of  four,  and  that  all  of  them  joined  one 
into  the  other  in  good  order,  and  that  in  the  gates  of 
the  principal  houses  there  are  many  Turkish  stones 
(Turquoise  stones)  cunningly  wrought,  whereof  he  said 


IS40.  FATHER  MARCO'S  THREATS.  131 

they  had  there  a  great  many ;  also  that  the  people  of 
this  city  are  very  well  dressed,  and  that  beyond  this 
there  are  other  provinces,  all  which  are  much  greater 
than  these  seven  cities.  ...  I  deferred  my  departure 
to  follow  Stephen  Dorantez,  because  I  thought  he 
would  stay  for  me,  and  also  to  attend  the  return  of  my 
messengers  whom  I  had  sent  to  the  sea,  and  who  re- 
turned to  me  Easter  Day,  bringing  with  them  certain 
inhabitants  of  the  sea-coast,  and  of  two  of  the  islands ; 
of  whom  I  understood  that  the  islands  mentioned  were 
scarce  of  victuals,  as  I  had  learned  before,  and  that  they 
are  inhabited  by  people  who  wear  shells  of  pearls  upon 
their  foreheads,  and  they  say  that  they  have  great  pearls 
and  much  gold.  They  informed  me  of  thirty-four  islands, 
and  that  they  traffic  with  one  another  upon  rafts.  This 
coast  stretches  northward  as  is  to  be  seen.  These  In- 
dians of  the  coast  brought  me  certain  targets  made  of 
cowhides  very  well  dressed,  which  were  so  large  that 
they  covered  them  from  head  to  foot,  with  a  hole  in  the 
top  to  look  out  of ;  they  are  so  strong  that  a  cross-bow 
(as  I  suppose)  will  not  pierce  them.  .  .  . 

Having  considered  the  former  report  of  the  Indians 
and  the  evil  means  which  I  had  to  prosecute  my  voyage 
as  I  desired,  I  thought  it  not  good  to  wilfully  loose  my 
life  as  Stephen  did,  and  so  I  told  them  that  God  would 
punish  those  of  Cevola,  and  that  the  Viceroy,  when  he 
understood  what  had  happened,  would  send  many  Chris- 
tians to  chastise  them,  but  they  would  not  believe  me, 
for  they  said  that  no  man  was  able  to  withstand  the 
power  of  Cevola ;  and  herewithal  I  left  them  and  went 
aside  two  or  three  stones  east,  and  when  I  returned  I 
found  an  Indian  of  mine  which  I  had  brought  from 
Mexico,  called   Marcus,  who   wept   and   said   to   me : 


132  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE  1540. 

"  Father,  these  men  have  consulted  to  kill  us,  for  they 
say  that  through  your  and  Stephen's  means  their  fathers 
are  slain,  and  that  neither  man  nor  woman  of  them  shall 
remain  unslain."  Then  again  I  divided  among  them 
certain  other  things  which  I  had  to  appease  them,  where- 
upon they  were  somewhat  pacified,  though  they  still 
showed  great  grief  for  the  people  which  were  slain.  I 
requested  some  of  them  to  go  to  Cevola  to  see  if  any 
other  Indian  had  escaped,  with  intent  that  they  might 
learn  news  of  Stephen,  which  I  could  not  obtain  at  their 
hands.  When  I  saw  this  I  said  to  them  that  I  purposed 
to  see  the  city  of  Cevola,  whatever  came  of  it.  They 
said  that  none  of  them  would  go  with  me.  At  the  last, 
when  they  saw  me  resolute,  two  of  the  chief  of  them 
said  they  would  go  with  me  \  with  whom  and  with  my 
Indians  and  interpreters  I  followed  my  way  till  I  came 
within  sight  of  Cevola,  which  is  situated  on  a  plain  at 
the  foot  of  a  round  hill,  and  makes  sure  to  be  a  fair 
city,  and  is  better  situated  than  any  that  I  have  seen  in 
those  parts.  The  houses  are  built  in  order,  according 
as  the  Indians  told  me,  all  made  of  stone  with  divers 
stories  and  flat  roofs,  as  far  as  I  could  discern  from  a 
mountain,  whither  I  ascended  to  view  the  city.  The 
people  are  somewhat  white,  they  wear  apparel,  and  lie 
in  beds,  their  weapons  are  bows,  they  have  emeralds 
and  other  jewels,  although  they  esteem  none  so  much 
as  turquoises,  wherewith  they  adorn  the  walls  of  the 
porches  of  their  houses,  and  their  apparel  and  vessels, 
and  they  use  them  instead  of  money  through  all  the 
country.  Their  apparel  is  of  cotton  and  of  ox-hides, 
and  this  is  their  most  commendable  and  honorable 
apparel.  They  use  vessels  of  gold  and  silver,  for  they 
have  no  other  metal ;  whereof  there  is  greater  use  and 


1540.  CEVOLA.  1 33 

more  abundance  than  in  Peru,  and  they  buy  the  same 
for  turquoises  in  the  province  of  the  Pintados,  where 
there  are  said  to  be  mines  of  great  abundance.  Of 
other  kingdoms  I  could  not  obtain  so  particular  instruc- 
tion. Divers  times  I  was  tempted  to  go  thither,  because 
I  knew  I  could  but  hazard  my  life,  and  that  I  had 
offered  unto  God  the  first  day  that  I  began  my  journey  j 
in  the  end  I  began  to  be  afraid,  considering  in  what 
danger  I  should  put  myself,  and  that  if  I  should  die  the 
knowledge  of  this  country  should  be  lost,  which  in  my 
judgment  is  the  greatest  and  the  best  that  hitherto  has 
been  discovered ;  and  when  I  told  the  chief  men  what 
a  goodly  city  Cevola  seemed  to  me,  they  answered  me 
that  it  was  the  least  of  the  seven  cities,  and  that  Toton- 
teac  is  the  greatest  and  best  of  them  all,  because  it  has 
so  many  houses  and  people  that  there  is  no  end  of 
them.  Having  seen  the  disposition  and  situation  of  the 
place  I  thought  good  to  name  that  country  "el  nuevo 
regno  de  San  Francisco,",  in  which  place  I  made  a 
great  heap  of  stones  by  the  help  of  the  Indians,  and 
on  the  top  thereof  I  set  up  a  small  slender  cross 
because  I  wanted  means  to  make  a  greater,  and  said 
that  I  set  up  that  cross  and  heap  in  the  name  of 
the  most  honorable  Lord  Don  Antonio  de  Mendoga, 
Viceroy  and  Captain-General  of  Nueva  Espana,  for 
the  emperor  our  lord,  in  token  of  possession,  according 
to  my  instruction ;  which  possession  I  said  that  I  took 
in  that  place  of  all  the  seven  cities,  and  of  the  kingdoms 
of  Totonteac,  of  Acus,  and  of  Marata.  Thus  I  returned 
with  much  more  fear  than  victuals,  and  went  until  I 
found  the  people  which  I  had  left  behind  me  with  all 
the  speed  that  I  could  make,  whom  I  overtook  in  two 
days'  travel,  and  went  in  their  company  till  I  had  passed 


134  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1540. 

the  desert,  where  I  was  not  made  so  much  of  as  before  \ 
for  both  men  and  women  made  great  lamentation  for 
the  people  which  were  slain  at  Cevola,  and  with  fear  I 
hastened  from  the  people  of  this  valley  and  travelled 
ten  leagues  the  first  day,  and  so  I  went  daily  eight  or 
ten  leagues,  without  staying  until  I  had  passed  the 
second  desert,  and  though  I  was  in  fear  yet  I  determined 
to  go  to  the  great  plain,  whereof  I  said  before  that  I 
had  information,  being  situated  at  the  foot  of  the  moun- 
tains, and  in  that  place  I  understood  that  this  plain  is 
inhabited  for  many  days'  journey  toward  the  east,  but  I 
dared  not  enter  into  it,  considering  that  if  hereafter  we 
should  inhabit  this  other  country  of  the  seven  cities, 
and  the  kingdoms  before  mentioned,  that  then  I  might 
better  discover  the  same,  without  putting  myself  in 
hazard,  and  leave  it  for  this  time,  that  I  might  give  rela- 
tion of  the  things  which  I  had  seen.  At  the  entrance 
of  this  plain  I  saw  but  seven  towns  only  of  a  reasonable 
bigness,  which  were  far  off  in  a  low  valley,  being  very 
green  and  a  most  fruitful  soil,  out  of  which  ran  many 
rivers.  I  was  informed  that  there  was  much  gold  in 
this  valley,  and  that  the  inhabitants  work  it  into  vessels 
and  thin  plates,  wherewith  they  strike  and  take  off  their 
sweat,  and  that  they  were  people  that  will  not  suffer 
those  of  the  other  side  of  the  plain  to  traffic  with  them, 
and  they  could  not  tell  me  the  cause  of  it.  Here  I  set 
up  two  crosses  and  took  possession  of  the  plain  and 
valley  in  like  sort  and  order  as  I  did  at  other  places 
before  mentioned ;  and  from  thence  I  returned  on  my 
voyage  with  as  much  haste  as  I  could  make,  until  I 
came  to  the  city  of  Saint  Michael,  in  the  province  of 
Culiacan,  thinking  there  to  have  found  Francis  Vazquez 
de  Coronado,  Governor  of  Nueva  Galicia,  and  finding 


I54a  THE  SEVEN  CITIES.  135 

him  not  there  I  proceeded  on  my  journey  till  I  came  to 
the  city  of  Compostella,  where  I  found  him.  I  do  not 
write  here  many  other  particularities,  because  they  are 
impertinent  to  this  matter ;  I  only  report  that  which  I 
have  seen,  and  which  was  told  me  concerning  the  coun- 
tries through  which  I  travelled,  and  of  those  which  I 
had  information  of. 

When  Blanche  had  read  so  far,  Uncle  Fritz  bade  her 
give  him  the  book. 

"You  see,"  he  said,  "all  this  talk  about  the  seven 
cities  was  very  exciting  to  them,  because  they  all  had  a 
legend  about  seven  cities  which  had  been  founded  by 
seven  Portuguese  bishops,  ages  before. 

"When  the  Cabots  came  back  to  England  from  their 
first  voyage,  it  was  reported  that  they  had  found  '  the 
seven  cities.'  And  when  this  lying  Father  Marco  re- 
ported seven  cities,  Mendoga  thought  he  had  found  the 
seven  cities  of  the  seven  bishops. 

"  Oddly  enough,  it  seems  to  prove  that  these  pueblo 
Indians  had  and  have  a  fancy  of  building  their  towns 
in  groups  of  seven.  At  least,  there  are  two  or  three 
such  instances. 

"On  the  strength  of  this  report  by  the  Friar,  Coronado 
started  with  his  party.  They  had  a  long  march  north- 
ward parallel  with  the  Gulf  of  California.  They  came 
out  near  the  Gila  River,  where  you  will  find  '  Casa 
Grande'  on  the  map.  This  means  'Great  House.' 
It  still  stands,  and  they  call  it  Montezuma's  house  to 
this  day.  Then  Coronado  persevered  across  the  desert 
and  found  the  'seven  cities.'  They  were,  doubtless, 
just  such  pueblos  as  these  you  have  the  pictures  of 
now.     He  was  dreadfully  disappointed." 


136  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  154a 

And  Uncle  Fritz  bade  Horace  Feltham  read  Coro- 
nado's  report. 

It  remains  now  to  certify  your  honor  of  the  seven 
cities,  and  of  the  kingdoms  and  provinces  whereof  the 
provincial  father  made  report  to  your  lordship ;  and  to 
be  brief,  he  said  the  truth  in  nothing  that  he  reported, 
but  all  was  quite  contrary,  saving  only  the  names  of  the 
cities,  and  great  houses  of  stone ;  for  although  they  are 
not  wrought  with  turquoises,  nor  with  lime,  nor  bricks, 
yet  they  are  very  excellent  good  houses  of  four  or  five 
lofts  high,  wherein  are  good  lodgings  and  fair  chambers 
with  lathers  ^  instead  of  stairs,  and  certain  cellars  under 
the  ground  very  good  and  paved,  which  are  made  for 
winter,  they  are  like  stones ;  and  the  lathers  when  they 
are  high  for  their  houses  are  in  a  manner  movable  and 
portable,  which  are  taken  away  and  set  down  where 
they  please,  and  they  are  made  of  two  pieces  of  wood 
with  their  stepps,  as  ours  are.  The  seven  cities  are 
seven  small  towns,  all  made  with  these  kind  of  houses 
that  I  speak  of,  and  they  stand  all  within  four  leagues 
together,  and  they  are  all  called  the  kingdom  of  Civola,^ 
and  every  one  of  them  have  their  particular  name,  and 
none  of  them  is  called  Civola,  but  altogether  are  called 
Civola  ;  and  this  town  which  I  call  a  city  I  have  named 
Granada,  as  well  because  it  is  somewhat  like  it,  and 
also  in  remembrance  of  your  lordship.  In  this  town 
where  I  now  remain  there  may  be  some  two  hundred 
houses,  all  compassed  with  walls,  and  I  think  that  with 

1  Old  English  spelling  for  ladders.  Observe  the  word  "  lath  "  hidden  in 
"lathers." 

2  The  Civola  of  Hakluyt  is  the  Cibola  and  Cevola  of  the  other  writers. 
The  change  between  b  and  v  is  not  unfrequent 


iS4a  TRUTH  FOR  FICTION:  1 37 

the  rest  of  the  houses  which  are  not  walled,  there  may 
be  altogether  five  hundred.  There  is  another  town 
near  this,  which  is  one  of  the  seven,  and  is  somewhat 
larger  than  this,  and  another  as  large,  and  the  other 
four  are  somewhat  less,  and  I  send  them  all  painted  to 
your  lordship  with  the  voyage ;  and  the  parchment 
wherein  the  picture  is  was  found  here  with  other  parch- 
ments. The  people  of  this  town  seem  to  me  of  a  rea- 
sonable stature  and  witty,  yet  they  seem  not  to  be  such 
as  they  ought,  of  that  judgment  and  wit  to  build  these 
houses  such  as  they  are.  For  the  most  part  they  are 
naked,  except  their  private  parts  which  are  covered ; 
and  they  have  painted  mantles  like  those  which  I  send 
to  your  lordship.  They  have  no  cotton  wool  growing 
because  the  countr}'  is  cold,  yet  they  wear  mantles,  as 
your  honor  may  see  by  the  show  thereof,  and  yet  it  is 
true  that  there  was  found  in  their  houses  certain  yarn 
made  of  cotton  wool.  They  wear  their  hair  on  their 
heads  like  those  of  Mexico,. and  they  are  well  nurtured 
and  conditioned,  and  they  have  a  good  quantity  of  tur- 
quoises, which  with  the  rest  of  the  goods  which  they 
had,  except  their  corn,  they  had  conveyed  away  before 
I  came  thither ;  for  I  found  no  women  there,  nor  no 
youth  under  fifteen  years  old,  nor  no  old  folks  above 
sixty,  saving  two  or  three  old  folks,  who  stayed  behind 
to  govern  all  the  rest  of  the  youth  and  men  of  war. 
There  were  found  in  a  certain  paper  two  points  of  em- 
eralds and  certain  small  stones  broken  which  are  in 
color  somewhat  like  very  bad  granates,  and  other  stones 
of  crystal,  which  I  gave  one  of  my  servants  to  lay  up  to 
send  them  to  your  lordship,  and  he  lost  them,  as  he  told 
me.  We  found  here  guinea  cocks,  but  few.  The  In- 
dians tell  me  in  all  these  seven  cities  that  they  do  not 


138  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1540. 

eat  them,  but  they  keep  them  only  for  their  feathers. 
I  do  not  believe  them,  for  they  are  excellently  good,  and 
larger  than  those  of  Mexico.  The  season  of  this  country 
and  the  temperature  of  the  air  is  like  that  of  Mexico, 
for  sometimes  it  is  hot  and  it  rains,  but  hitherto  I  never 
saw  it  rain,  but  once  there  fell  a  little  shower  with  wind, 
as  they  are  wont  to  fall  in  Spain.  The  snow  and  cold 
are  wont  to  be  great,  as  the  inhabitants  of  the  country 
say,  and  it  is  very  likely  to  be  so,  both  in  respect  to  the 
manner  of  the  country  and  by  the  fashion  of  their 
houses,  and  their  fires  and  other  things  which  this 
people  have  to  protect  them  from  the  cold.  There  is 
no  kind  of  fruit  nor  fruit  trees.  The  country  is  all  plain, 
and  is  on  no  side  mountainous,  albeit  there  are  some 
hills  and  bad  passages.  There  are  small  stores  of  fowl : 
the  cause  is  the  cold,  and  because  the  mountains  are 
not  near.  There  is  no  great  store  of  wood,  because  they 
have  sufficient  wood  for  their  fuel  four  leagues  off  in  a 
wood  of  small  cedars.  There  is  most  excellent  grass 
within  a  quarter  of  a  league,  for  our  horses,  as  well  to 
feed  them  in  pasture,  as  to  mow  and  make  hay,  whereof 
we  stood  in  great  need,  because  our  horses  came  hither 
so  weak  and  feeble.  The  victuals  which  the  people  of 
this  country  have  is  maize,  whereof  they  have  a  great 
store,  and  also  small  white  peas  and  venison,  which  by 
all  likelihood  they  feed  upon  (though  they  say  no)  for 
we  found  many  skins  of  deer,  of  hares,  and  of  conies. 
They  eat  the  best  cakes  that  I  ever  saw,  and  everybody 
generally  eats  them.  They  have  the  finest  order  and 
way  to  grind  that  we  ever  saw  in  any  place ;  and  one 
Indian  woman  of  this  country  will  grind  as  much  as 
four  women  of  Mexico.  They  have  most  excellent  salt 
in  kernel,  which  they  fetch  from  a  certain  lake  a  day's 


C   C  c  t  c 
•  •  c  c  c 


*•< 


1540.  GAME  AND  SKINS.  139 

journey  from  here.  They  have  no  knowledge  of  the 
North  Sea,  nor  of  the  Western  Sea,  neither  can  I  tell 
to  which  we  be  nearest.  But  in  reason  they  should 
seem  to  be  nearest  to  the  Western  Sea,  and  at  the  least 
I  think  I  am  an  hundred  and  fifty  leagues  from  thence, 
and  the  Northern  Sea  should  be  much  farther  off. 
Your  lordship  may  see  how  broad  the  land  is  here. 
Here  are  many  sorts  of  beasts,  bears,  tigers,  lions,  por- 
cupines, and  certain  sheep  as  big  as  an  horse,  with  very 
great  horns  and  little  tails.  I  have  seen  their  horns  so 
big  that  it  is  a  wonder  to  see  their  greatness.  Here  are 
also  wild  goats,  whose  beards  likewise  I  have  seen,  and 
the  paws  of  bears  and  the  skins  of  wild  boars.  There 
is  game  of  deer,  ounces,  and  very  large  stags,  and  all 
men  are  of  opinion  that  there  are  some  bigger  than 
that  beast  which  your  lordship  bestowed  upon  me, 
which  once  belonged  to  John  Melaz.  They  travel  eight 
days'  journey  into  certain  plains  lying  toward  the  North 
Sea.  In  this  country  there  are  certain  skins  well 
dressed,  and  they  dress  them  and  paint  them  where 
they  kill  their  oxen,  so  they  say  themselves. 

"The  salt,"  said  Uncle  Fritz,  "was  from  the  great 
Salt  Lake,  or  some  place  near  it.  As  for  the  cakes,  see 
what  Lieut.  Bourke  writes  to  me.  He  is  in  our  army 
now,  and  has  lived  among  the  Moquis,  who,  as  he 
thinks,  still  inhabit  the  towns  which  Coronado  called 
*  Cibola.' " 

And  Fergus  read  from  Lieut.  Bourke's  letter :  — 

"The  Moquis  still  make  very  good  cakes  and  still 
use  the  stone  '  metals '  for  grinding  corn  and  seeds  as 
their  ancestors  did  in  1541.     Their  meal  is  reddish  and 


I40  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1874. 

purplish  in  color,  and  the  bread  or  cake  is  baked  as  a 
thin  sheet,  thinner  than  pie-crust,  and  afterwards  rolled 
into  the  shape  of  a  banana.  When  1  visited  them  with 
General  Crook  in  1874,  they  used,  besides  corn,  grass- 
seeds,  acorns,  and  the  seeds  of  sunflowers,  which  they 
cultivated  in  large  fields.'* 


VII 

THE  JESUIT  RELATIONS. 

WHEN  the  children  met  Col.  Ingham  the  next 
week,  Fergus  said  that  as  they  came  out  he  had 
been  telling  the  others  that  he  had  always  wished  that 
people  would  tell  more  of  the  beginnings  of  America. 
"  To  tell  the  truth,"  said  Fergus,  "  I  had  supposed  they 
did  not  know ;  but  when  we  made  our  camp  on  the 
Maguadavik  River  last  summer,  when  I  really  felt  as  if 
we  were  the  first  settlers  in  a  wilderness,  I  wondered 
very  much  whether  John  Smith  did  just  that  thing  at 
Jamestown,  or  whether  he  began  in  some  other  way." 

"  We  may  as  well  confess,"  said  Col.  Ingham,  "  that 
our  people  here  were  very  reticent ;  also,  they  seem  to 
have  had  very  little  paper,  very  few  pens,  and  almost 
no  ink.  My  mother  used  to  say  that  they  must  have 
taken  solemn  oaths  that  they  would  record  nothing 
interesting ;  and  when  you  do  find  a  bright  bit  of  early 
New  England  narrative,  it  is  because  some  faithful 
*  modern '  has  gone  over  a  dozen  old  stories  and  picked 
out  one  plum  here  and  one  there,  and  put  them  all 
into  one  cake  for  you. 

"  But  there  do  exist  narratives  that  go  into  just  the 
sort  of  detail  you  ask  for,  Fergus.  Fortunately  for  us, 
the  Jesuit  fathers,  who  were  the  special  literary  men  of 
their  time,  were  obliged  to  write  letters  home  from  the 

/ 


142  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1636. 

points  where  they  were  at  work,  and  more  fortunately 
the  Society  of  Jesuits  found  it  advisable  to  print  them. 
Within  a  few  years  past  these  narratives  have  been  trans- 
lated and  printed  in  this  country.  You  will  find  them  in 
the  best  of  the  large  Public  Libraries.  You  will  find  that 
some  of  them  come  very  near  your  own  homes." 

"  Does  not  Mr.  Parkman  quote  them  ? " 

"  Yes,  and  his  skilful  use  of  them  and  other  materials 
like  them  is  what  makes  his  books  so  fascinating  for 
you  boys.  Here  is  a  story  of  a  poor  fellow  who  tried 
the  hospitality  of  the  Six  Nations,  —  the  French,  you 
know,  called  them  *  Iroquois.'  " 

"  Why,  we  rode  out  to  see  them  from  Syracuse,  when 
I  made  my  famous  visit  to  Grace." 

"The  same.  See  how  they  would  have  treated  you  a 
hundred  and  fifty  years  ago  had  you  been  a  French  girl. 

"  Father  Isaac  Jogues  was  born  of  good  family  in  the 
city  of  Orleans,  France.  He  was  sent  out  into  New 
France  in  the  year  1636,  and  was  attached  to  the 
Mission  among  the  Hurons,  where  he  stayed  for  six 
years.  At  the  end  of  this  time  he  was  sent  to  Quebec 
on  some  of  the  business  connected  with  the  Mission 
there.    The  following  is  his  own  narrative." 

FATHER  JOGUES'S  STORY. 

The  Superior  of  the  Huron  Mission  sent  for  me  and 
proposed  to  me  a  journey  to  Quebec,  —  a  terrible  jour- 
ney on  account  of  the  difficulty  of  the  travelling  there 
and  back,  and  also  because  of  the  ambuscades  of  Iro- 
quois, who  murder  many  of  the  Indians  friendly  to  the 
French. 


1636.  AN  ENCOUNTER.  I43 

This  was  merely  a  proposition,  not  in  any  way  a  com- 
mand, but  I  accepted  eagerly  in  spite  of  all  the  dangers 
and  hazards.  We  started  off  then  and  began  our  jour- 
ney and  our  dangerous  adventures  at  the  same  time. 

The  distance  was  three  hundred  leagues,  and  in  this 
distance  we  had  to  make  forty  carriages  of  our  boats 
and  all  our  baggage  around  rapids  and  waterfalls.  Al- 
though the  Indians  were  very  expert  in  this  method  of 
travelling,  we  experienced  several  little  shipwrecks  which 
were  attended  with  loss  of  our  baggage  and  danger  to 
our  lives.  But  at  last,  after  thirty-five  days'  hard  travel, 
we  reached  Three  Rivers,  from  which  place  we  de- 
scended to  Quebec.  We  finished  our  business  at 
Quebec  in  a  fortnight,  and  on  the  first  day  of  August, 
1642,  we  started  from  Three  Rivers  on  our  homeward 
voyage.  We  had  passed  the  first  day  and  night  and 
were  proceeding  quietly  on  the  second  morning  when 
some  of  the  men  in  the  first  canoe  shouted  to  us  that 
they  had  seen  some  footprints  on  shore.  We  all  landed 
and  examined  the  tracks  they  had  seen.  We  could  not 
agree  as  to  what  they  were.  Some  said  Iroquois,  and 
others  said  that  they  were  Algonquins,  friends  of  ours. 
But  Eustace  Ahatsistari  said  :  — 

"  Algonquins  or  Iroquois  it  matters  little ;  there  are 
not  more  of  them  than  there  are  of  us,  so  let  us  go  on 
without  fear."  Eustace  was  our  captain,  and  all  the 
rest  deferred  to  him  both  because  of  his  feats  of  arms 
and  for  his  prudence  and  goodness. 

So  we  went  onward,  up  the  river;  but  we  had  scarcely 
got  on  half  a  league  when  a  volley  of  arquebuse  balls 
came  upon  us  from  an  ambuscade  on  shore.  The 
Hurons,  for  the  most  part,  were  so  frightened  at  the 
noise  that  they  abandoned  their  canoes  and  their  arms 


144  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1636. 

and  fled  into  the  depths  of  the  woods.  Otherwise  the 
discharge  did  us  small  harm,  for  only  one  Huron  was 
wounded,  and  he  but  slightly  in  his  hand. 

There  were  four  of  us  Frenchmen,  one  of  whom  had 
escaped  with  the  Hurons,  and  eight  or  ten  Christian 
Indians,  and  together  we  made  such  head  against  the 
enemy  that,  although  it  was  thirty  to  ten  or  a  dozen,  the 
issue  would  have  been  doubtful  had  not  another  band 
of  forty  Iroquois,  who  were  hiding  on  the  other  side  of 
the  river,  opened  fire  upon  us. 

Upon  this  the  Hurons  lost  courage,  and  those  who 
could  fled,  abandoning  their  comrades  to  the  enemy. 
One  Frenchman,  Ren^  Goupil,  being  left  alone,  was 
surrounded  and  captured,  together  with  some  of  the 
brave  Hurons.  I  also  was  taken  and  so  was  our  brave 
Captain  Eustace.  One  other  Frenchman  who  had  been 
captured,  seeing  an  opportunity,  escaped,  but  suddenly 
the  thought  coming  to  him  that  he  was  abandoning  his 
Faith  and  his  comrades,  he  stopped  short  and  deter- 
mined to  come  back  to  us.  But  as  he  turned  he  saw 
five  of  the  Iroquois  rushing  up  to  him.  One  of  them 
aimed  his  arquebuse  at  him  but  missed.  The  French- 
man's piece  did  not  miss,  and  the  Indian  fell  back  stone- 
dead.  As  soon  as  he  had  fired  the  other  four  Indians 
threw  themselves  upon  him  with  the  madness  of  lions, 
or  rather  of  devils.  They  beat  him  with  clubs,  they  bit 
him  with  their  teeth,  they  tore  him  with  their  nails  and 
transfixed  him  with  their  swords.  As  I  approached  him 
to  give  him  some  comfort  they  fell  upon  me  also  and 
used  me  badly.  In  fact,  so  enraged  were  they  against 
the  French  that  they  cruelly  tortured  Ren^  Goupil  and 
me  also,  biting  our  fingers  with  their  teeth  in  a  terrible 
manner  and  beating  us  with  sticks. 


1636.  THE  IROQUOIS  REINFORCED.  145 

Finally  they  all  came  together  again.  Those  who 
had  been  chasing  the  Hurons  returned,  and  they  began 
all  together  to  rejoice  over  their  prey  with  loud  shouts 
of  joy. 

We  started,  then,  to  be  conducted  into  a  strange 
country.  One  old  man  refused  to  embark  when  the 
Iroquois  took  to  their  boats,  and  the  Indians  murdered 
him.  There  were  twenty-two  of  us  in  all.  For  the 
thirteen  days  which  were  taken  up  in  the  journey  I 
suffered  almost  insupportable  bodily  tortures  and  men- 
tal distresses  beyond  comparison.  Hunger,  the  glowing 
heat,  the  threats  and  hatred  of  these  leopards,  the  pain 
of  our  wounds,  —  all  these  were  nothing  to  the  inward 
grief  that  I  felt  at  the  thought  of  our  Hurons,  all  firm 
Christians.  I  had  thought  that  they  would  have  been 
the  support  of  this  growing  Church,  and  I  saw  them  con- 
demned to  death. 

A  week  after  we  left  the  banks  of  the  great  River  St. 
Lawrence  we  fell  in  with  two  hundred  Iroquois  who 
had  just  returned  from  an  excursion  against  the  French 
and  their  Indian  allies.  As  soon  as  they  saw  us  they 
thanked  the  Sun  for  having  put  us  in  their  power,  and 
immediately  afterward  fired  a  volley  from  their  arque- 
buses as  a  salute  to  the  victors.  They  then  sought  out 
a  level  plain  upon  the  hill  and  then  went  to  find  clubs 
and  thorny  sticks.  Thus  armed  they  placed  themselves 
in  two  rows,  one  hundred  on  one  side  and  one  hundred 
on  the  other,  and  having  stripped  us  of  our  clothing 
they  forced  us  to  pass  through  this  path  of  pain  and 
anguish.  As  we  ran  by  they  delivered  lusty  blows  upon 
our  backs  with  all  their  strength.  They  made  me  run 
last  that  I  might  be  the  more  exposed  to  their  rage.  I 
had  hardly  run  half-way  when  I  fell  to  the  ground  from 

10 


146  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1636. 

the  pain  and  from  the  blows.  Seeing  this  the  Indians 
redoubled  their  efforts.  I  was  unable  to  force  myself  to 
rise,  partly  through  my  weakness  and  partly  because  I 
thought  I  might  as  well  die  there.  Seeing  me  fall  they 
threw  themselves  upon  me,  and  God  alone  knows  how 
long  they  beat  me.  But  when  they  saw  that  I  had  not 
fallen  by  accident  and  that  I  was  really  too  near  death 
to  arise,  since  their  anger  was  not  yet  appeased,  and 
also  because  they  wished  to  carry  me  alive  into  their 
own  country,  they  picked  me  up  and  carried  me,  all 
bleeding,  out  of  the  torture,  but  soon  began  again  to 
ill-treat  me.  It  would  take  too  long  to  tell  of  the  suffer- 
ings they  inflicted  upon  me.  They  broke  one  of  my 
fingers,  they  crushed  the  others  with  their  teeth,  and 
also  tore  my  flesh  by  their  nails,  With  the  rage  of 
demons,  and  when  my  strength  failed  me  they  applied 
fire  to  my  arms  and  legs.  They  treated  my  companions 
in  like  manner.  Among  the  Hurons  the  brave  and 
valiant  christian,  Eustace,  was  treated  most  cruelly. 

These  warriors  having  offered  up  a  sacrifice  of  our 
blood  pursued  their  way,  and  we  went  ours.  On  the 
tenth  day  after  our  departure  we  arrived  at  a  place 
where  we  quitted  our  boats  to  march  on  land.  This 
part  of  the  journey  was  very  painful.  The  Iroquois 
who  had  charge  of  me,  having  more  baggage  than  he 
could  carry  easily,  placed  a  heavy  load  upon  my  own 
back,  torn  and  mangled  as  it  was.  For  three  days  we 
ate  nothing  but  berries  which  we  picked  as  we  went 
along.  The  heat  of  the  day,  at  the  hottest  part  of  the 
summer,  and  the  pain  of  our  wounds  weakened  us  so 
that  we  had  to  march  behind  the  rest.  One  night  when 
we  were  a  little  way  from  the  others  I  suggested  to 
Ren^  Goupil  that  he  should  escape.     In  fact  we  might 


^636.  SUFFERINGS  OF  THE   CAPTIVES.  1 47 

have  done  it,  but  for  my  part  I  would  rather  have 
suffered  all  kinds  of  torment  than  have  abandoned 
those  whom  I  might  have  been  able  to  console.  Ren^, 
seeing  that  I  wished  to  follow  my  little  flock,  would  not 
quit  me.  "  I  will  die  with  you,"  said  he,  "  and  I  will 
never  abandon  you." 

One  night  we  arrived  at  a  little  river  distant  about  a 
quarter  of  a  league  from  the  first  village  of  the  Iroquois. 
We  found  on  the  banks  an  assemblage  of  men  and  boys 
armed  with  sticks  with  which  they  beat  us  with  their 
usual  cruelty.  I  had  on  my  hands  but  two  finger-nails 
left.  These  they  tore  off  with  their  teeth,  cutting  the 
flesh  to  the  bone  with  their  own  long  finger-nails. 

After  they  had  satisfied  their  cruelty  they  carried  us 
in  triumph  into  the  first  village,  where  all  the  young 
people  were  without  the  gates  ranged  in  rows,  armed 
with  sticks,  some  of  them  with  iron  tips  which  they  got 
from  the  Dutch.  We  had  to  march  around  among 
those  young  people  and  receive  beatings  and  torturings 
like  those  I  have  described  to  you.  When  night  had 
come  they  brought  us  to  the  cabins  to  be  sport  for  the 
children.  They  gave  us  a  little  Indian  meal  boiled  in 
water.  They  made  us  lie  down,  binding  us,  hand  and 
foot,  to  four  posts  stuck  in  the  ground,  in  the  form  of  a 
Saint  Andrew's  Cross.  The  children,  to  teach  further 
cruelty  to  their  parents,  threw  live  coals  and  hot  ashes 
i;pon  our  stomachs,  taking  pleasure  in  seeing  our  flesh 
grill  and  blacken.  O  God  !  what  a  night !  To  remain 
in  a  very  constrained  position  without  the  power  of 
moving,  to  be  unable  to  defend  ourselves  from  the  attack 
of  the  thousands  of  vermin  which  assailed  us  from  every 
side,  to  be  still  suffering  from  recent  wounds,  to  have 
nothing  on  which  to  sustain  life,  —  in  truth,  these  are 


148  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1636. 

grave  torments,  but  God  is  over  all.  At  sunrise  they 
carried  us  out  again,  and  for  three  days  and  three 
nights  we  endured  tortures  which  I  have  been  trying  to 
describe. 

We  passed  in  this  way  through  these  villages,  and  in 
each  village  we  were  beaten  and  tortured  terribly. 
Finally  they  allowed  us  to  settle  down  and  try  to  cure 
our  wounds. 

When  these  poor  captives  had  got  back  a  little  of 
their  strength,  the  chiefs  of  the  country  began  to  talk 
of  sending  them  back  to  Three  Rivers  to  return  them 
to  the  French.  The  business  went  so  far  that  they  con- 
sidered that  it  was  all  arranged ;  but  finally  the  chiefs 
found  that  they  could  not  agree  as  to  the  terms,  and  so 
the  Father  and  his  companions  were  left  as  before,  in 
the  fear  each  moment  that  they  would  be  put  to  death. 

These  barbarians  have  the  custom  of  giving  the  pris- 
oners, whom  they  do  not  wish  to  put  to  death,  to  those 
families  who  have  lost  some  of  their  number  in  war. 
These  persons  take  the  place  of  the  dead  and  become 
members  of  the  family,  which  alone  holds  the  power  of 
life  and  death  over  them.  In  such  cases  no  one  else 
dares  to  do  anything  to  them ;  but  when  they  keep  some 
one  as  public  prisoner,  without  giving  him  to  any  one  in 
particular,  the  poor  man  is  at  all  times  in  danger  of 
instant  death.  If  some  wretch  kills  him,  no  one  cares. 
He  is  only  enabled  to  drag  on  his  miserable  life  through 
the  charity  of  those  who  take  pity  on  him.  In  such  a 
condition  was  our  good  Father,  and  so  also  was  one  of 
his  companions.  The  other  Frenchmen  had  been  given 
to  a  family  in  place  of  an  Iroquois  warrior  who  had 
fallen  in  battle.  .  .  . 


1636.  IN  CAPTIVITY.  149 

The  Father's  narrative  goes  on  :  — 

I  left  the  village  in  which  I  was  held  captive,  on  Saint 
Ignatius'  day,  to  go  with  some  Iroquois  on  an  excursion 
for  trading  and  fishing.  After  we  had  finished  our 
business  with  the  Dutch  we  set  to  fishing  at  a  place  on 
the  river  seven  or  eight  leagues  below  the  Dutch  village. 
While  we  were  cleaning  the  fish  we  had  caught,  there 
came  a  report  that  a  band  of  Iroquois  had  returned 
from  an  expedition  against  the  Hurons,  of  whom  they 
had  killed  five  or  six  and  captured  four.  Of  these  four 
prisoners  they  had  burned  two  in  my  village  with  great 
cruelties.  At  this  my  heart  was  weighed  down  with  a 
bitter  regret  that  I  had  neither  been  able  to  see  these 
poor  victims  nor  to  console  and  baptize  them.  I  feared 
too  that  something  of  the  sort  might  happen  again,  and 
I  therefore  went  to  an  old  woman  who  had  been  very 
kind  to  me  and  said  to  her :  — 

"  My  aunt,  I  wish  to  return  to  our  village.  I  cannot 
stay  here.  It  is  not  that  I.  expect  to  be  treated  more 
kindly  at  the  village,  where  indeed  I  am  daily  exposed 
to  every  species  of  torture  and  am  compelled  to  be  wit- 
ness of  most  horrible  cruelties,  but  my  heart  tells  me 
that  I  should  allow  no  man  to  suffer  death  without  e,n- 
deavoring  to  offer  him  baptism." 

She  approved  of  my  words  and  gave  me  something 
to  eat  on  the  road.  I  embarked  in  the  first  canoe  that 
was  going  up  the  river  to  our  village,  accompanied  and 
conducted  by  five  or  six  Iroquois.  When  we  had 
reached  the  Dutch  on  the  river,  I  learned  that  our  vil- 
lage was  much  incensed  against  all  the  French,  and  that 
they  only  awaited  my  return  in  order  to  burn  me  alive. 

The  cause  of  this  was  as  follows.  Some  time  ago, 
among  all  the  bands  of  Iroquois  who  were  continually 


150  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE,  163d 

going  upon  the  war-path  against  the  Algonquins,  the 
Hurons,  and  the  French,  there  was  one  band  which 
took  the  idea  of  going  to  spy  out  the  French  and  their 
savage  alUes.  Among  this  band  was  a  Huron  who  had 
been  captured  by  the  Iroquois  and  had  been  adopted 
into  the  tribe.  This  man  came  to  me  to  ask  if  I  had 
any  letters  to  send  to  the  French,  hoping  no  doubt  to 
get  some  information  in  this  way.  But  as  I  did  not 
doubt  that  the  French  would  be  upon  their  guard 
against  him,  and  moreover  as  I  thought  it  very  neces- 
sary that  the  French  should  know  something  of  the 
plans  and  designs  of  their  enemies,  I  found  means  of 
procuring  a  bit  of  paper  upon  which  to  write  a  message. 
I  knew  very  well  the  danger  to  which  I  exposed  myself, 
and  I  knew  too  that  if  anything  should  happen  to  these 
warriors  the  blame  would  fall  upon  me ;  that  they  would 
hold  me  responsible  and  would  accuse  my  letters.  I 
foresaw  that  I  should  be  put  to  death,  but  death  seemed 
to  me  easy  and  agreeable  when  I  reflected  that  it  would 
be  used  for  the  well-being  and  consolation  of  the  French, 
and  the  poor  Indians  who  learn  from  them  the  word  of 
the  Lord.  I  gave,  then,  my  letter  to  the  young  warrior, 
who  never  returned.  The  story  that  his  comrades 
brought  back  was  that  he  had  carried  the  letter  to  the 
fort  of  Richelieu,  and  that  as  soon  as  the  French  had 
caught  sight  of  them  they  had  fired  a  cannon  at  them 
so  that  they  had  fled,  scattering  in  all  directions,  leaving 
one  of  their  canoes,  together  with  their  guns  and 
powder  and  ball  and  some  other  baggage. 

When  these  news  were  brought  to  the  village  they 
cried  out  that  my  letters  were  the  cause  of  this  treat- 
ment. The  report  went  around  and  at  last  came  to  my 
ears ;   they  reproached   me  with   their  bad  luck   and 


1636.  MEANS  OF  ESCAPE   OFFERED.  1 5  I 

spoke  of  nothing  but  burning  me,  and  if  I  had  been  at 
the  village  at  the  return  of  the  warriors,  fire,  rage,  and 
cruelty  would  have  cost  me  my  life.  Unhappily  another 
band  returning  from  Montreal,  where  they  had  been 
beaten  by  the  French,  told  of  one  of  their  men  who 
had  been  killed  and  two  who  were  wounded.  Every- 
body considered  me  the  cause  of  this  ill-luck  and  was 
awaiting  my  return  with  impatience. 

To  resume  my  story.  The  Captain  of  the  post  of 
Dutch,  where  we  were  at  this  time,  knowing  pretty  well 
the  state  of  the  Indians'  mind  toward  me,  and  knowing 
too  that  the  Chevalier  de  Montmagny  had  forbidden 
the  Indians  of  New  France  to  make  any  attacks  upon 
the  Dutch,  showed  me  the  means  of  saving  myself. 
"  Here,"  said  he  to  me,  "  here  is  a  ship  at  anchor  which 
is  to  sail  in  a  few  days.  Get  into  it  quietly.  It  is 
going  first  to  Virginia  and  then  to  Bordeaux  or  La 
Rochelle." 

I  thanked  him  much  for  the  offer,  but  told  him  the 
Indians  would  surely  find  out  that  he  had  assisted  me 
to  escape  and  might  cause  his  people  some  trouble. 

"  No,  no,"  said  he,  "  fear  nothing,  get  on  board.  The 
chance  is  good,  you  will  never  find  a  better  one." 

I  was  perplexed  at  his  words,  doubting  whether  it 
would  not  redound  more  to  the  glory  of  God  if  I  should 
expose  myself  to  the  danger  of  fire  and  to  the  fury  of 
the  Iroquois,  with  the  hope  of  saving  some  poor  soul. 
I  said  then  to  him  that  I  held  the  occasion  to  be  of 
such  importance  that  I  could  not  immediately  come  to 
a  decision,  and  I  begged  of  him  to  give  me  the  night  to 
think  it  over.  He  was  much  astonished,  but  granted  my 
request,  and  I  promised  to  tell  him  on  the  next  morn- 
ing what  resolve  I  had  come  to. 


152  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1636. 

I  spent  the  night  in  meditation  and  prayer,  and  came 
at  last  to  the  conclusion  that  it  would  be  more  agree- 
able to  God  if  I  should  take  this  chance  which  was 
offered  me  to  escape. 

When  day  was  come,  therefore,  I  paid  my  respects  to 
the  Dutch  Governor  and  told  him  my  thoughts  and  the 
resolution  to  which  I  had  come.  He  called  the  owners 
of  the  vessel  and  told  them  his  plan,  begging  them  to 
receive  and  hide  me,  and,  in  a  word,  to  carry  me  back 
to  Europe.  They  replied  that  if  I  could  once  set  foot 
on  the  deck  of  the  vessel  I  might  be  sure  that  I  should 
not  leave  it  until  I  landed  at  the  wharf  at  Bordeaux  or 
La  Rochelle. 

"  Very  well,  then,"  said  the  Governor  to  me,  "  return 
with  your  Indians,  and  towards  evening  or  at  night 
come  quietly  to  the  river.  You  will  find  a  little  boat 
which  I  shall  have  placed  there  that  you  may  go  secretly 
to  the  ship." 

After  giving  my  humble  thanks  to  these  gentlemen 
I  went  away  from  the  Hollanders  that  I  might  the 
better  conceal  my  plan.  At  night  I  retired  with  ten  or 
a  dozen  Iroquois  into  a  barn  where  we  were  to  pass  the 
night.  Before  lying  down  I  went  out  of  the  place  to 
see  how  I  might  most  easily  escape.  The  dogs  of  the 
Hollanders,  who  were  roaming  about,  seeing  me  come 
out,  fell  upon  me.  One  of  them  bit  a  large  piece  out  of 
my  leg,  which  gave  me  such  pain  that  I  returned  as  soon 
as  possible  into  the  barn.  The  Iroquois  immediately 
shut  the  door  tightly  and  lay  down  round  about  me. 
There  was  one  of  them  whose  duty  it  was  to  take 
especial  care  in  guarding  me,  and  he  lay  down  in  front 
of  the  door  of  the  barn. 

Seeing  myself  shut  up  in  this  way  I  feared  that  I 


1636.  CONCEALED  IN  THE  SHIP.  1 53 

might  never  be  able  to  escape.  I  passed  all  this  night 
without  sleep,  and  in  the  morning  I  heard  the  crowing 
of  the  cocks.  Soon  after,  the  servant  of  a  Dutch  work- 
man, who  had  given  us  shelter  in  his  barn,  entered  by 
some  door,  I  know  not  what.  I  made  him  a  sign  softly, 
since  I  did  not  understand  Flemish,  to  drive  away  the 
dogs.  He  went  out  and  I  after  him,  taking  all  my  bag- 
gage, namely,  a  breviary  and  a  crucifix.  As  soon  as  I  got 
out  of  the  barn,  without  making  any  noise  or  awakening 
my  guards,  I  passed  through  the  gate  in  the  fence  sur- 
rounding the  farm  and  ran  straight  to  the  river  in  which 
the  ship  was  at  anchor.  In  doing  this  I  had  great  diffi- 
culty, on  account  of  my  wounded  leg,  but  finally  accom- 
plished the  distance,  and  found  the  boat,  as  the  captain 
had  told  me.  But  unfortunately  the  tide  had  gone  down, 
and  the  boat  was  high  and  dry  on  land.  I  could  not 
push  it  into  the  water  on  account  of  its  weight,  and  so  I 
shouted  out  to  the  ship.  I  do  not  know  whether  they 
heard  me  or  not ;  at  any  rate,-  nobody  appeared. 

The  sun  was  by  this  time  rising  and  would  soon  ap- 
prise the  Iroquois  of  the  theft  of  myself  which  I  had 
made.  Fearing  that  they  would  find  me  engaged  in  my 
innocent  amusement  I  left  off  shouting,  and,  praying  God 
to  increase  my  strength,  I  applied  myself  once  more  to 
the  boat.  I  did  so  well  that  I  soon  got  the  stern  in  the 
water  and  after  that  the  rest  of  it.  Having  got  it  afloat, 
I  jumped  into  it,  and  rowed  quickly  to  the  ship  without 
being  perceived  by  any  of  the  Iroquois. 

The  sailors  put  me  down  in  the  hold  to  hide  me,  and 
I  passed  two  days  in  the  ship  in  such  an  uncomfortable 
manner  that  I  feared  each  minute  that  I  should  die  of 
suffocation.  I  remembered  in  this  plight  the  story  of 
Jonas  in  the  belly  of  the  whale. 


154  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE,  1636. 

On  the  second  night  of  my  captivity  the  Dutch  min- 
ister visited  me  to  tell  me  that  the  Iroquois  were  making 
a  great  disturbance  about  my  disappearance,  and  that 
the  Hollanders  living  around  were  afraid  that  they 
would  burn  down  their  houses  and  kill  their  beasts. 
They  had  good  ground  for  this  fear,  for  the  Indians  were 
provided  with  good  arquebuses.  I  besought  him  to  give 
me  up  to  them  if  on  account  of  me  all  this  tumult  was 
arising,  and  told  him  that  I  never  had  wished  to  save 
myself  at  the  risk  of  others'  lives  and  goods. 

Finally  I  came  up  from  my  hiding-place,  and  though 
the  sailors  were  much  ashamed,  saying  that  they  had 
given  their  word  that  I  should  be  saved  and  that  they 
must  hold  to  it  at  all  costs,  I  went  on  shore  to  the  Gov- 
ernor's house,  where  they  concealed  me.  These  goings 
and  comings  were  achieved  in  the  night  so  that  I  was 
not  discovered.  The  Dutch  Captain  told  me  that  it 
was  necessary  to  yield  to  the  storm  and  wait  until  the 
spirits  of  the  Indians  were  a  little  calmed.  So  I  am 
now  a  voluntary  prisoner  in  the  house  of  the  Governor. 
The  ship  in  which  I  was  to  sail  has  gone  without  me. 

In  another  letter  :  — 

Finally  I  am  delivered.  The  Lord  has  sent  one  of 
his  angels  to  take  me  out  of  captivity.  The  Iroquois 
have  finally  become  pacified  by  the  Dutch  Governor, 
who  gave  them  presents  as  a  ransom  to  the  amount,  I 
believe,  of  three  hundred  livres,  which  I  must  return  to 
him.  When  everything  was  straightened  out  I  was  sent 
to  Manhattan,  where  the  Governor  of  the  whole  country 
resides.  He  received  me  kindly,  gave  me  a  suit  of 
clothes,  and  sent  me  across  the  ocean  in  a  bark.  We 
landed  in  Falmouth  in  England,  and  from  thence  I 
crossed  over  to  France. 


1689-90.         MASS  A  CRE  A  T  SCHENECTAD  Y.  1 5  5 

"  Poor  man ! "  said  Laura,  when  the  reading  was  done. 
"  I  do  not  wonder  the  frontier's  people  came  to  hate 
the  Indians." 

"  It  is  worth  while,"  said  Uncle  Fritz,  "  when  you 
hear  people  talk  of  Arcadian  homes  and  the  simplicity 
of  nature  to  know  what  those  words  mean." 

The  Pictorial  History  is  generally  lying  on  the  table, 
or  brought  out  before  these  American  readings  are  fin- 
ished ;  and  Tom  had  the  third  volume  open  at  the 
picture  of  the  massacre  at  Schenectady,  where  two 
snow  sentinels  stood  at  the  gateway  of  the  palisades, 
and  made  no  opposition  to  the  French  and  Indians 
when  they  rushed  in. 

"  This  was  long  after  Father  Jogues,  I  suppose,"  he 
said. 

"  Oh,  yes.  The  massacre  did  not  happen  until  Leis- 
ler's  time,  in  the  winter  of  1689-90 ;  and,  by  the  way, 
one  of  the  most  vivid  of  the  genuine  American  ballads 
was  printed  in  Albany  then  and  there  about  that  mas- 
sacre." 

"  Where  do  you  find  about  it,  Uncle  Fritz  ?  " 

"  Oh,  there  is  no  local  history  better  provided  for  than 
that  of  New  York.  Look  there,  on  the  lower  shelf ; 
there  are  twelve  volumes  of  their  documents  which  you 
owe  to  Mr.  Bogart's  kindness." 

The  children  had  learned  by  this  time  not  to  dread  a 
book  because  it  was  big  and  had  a  dull  name,  and 
the  various  tables  soon  had  different  groups  dipping 
through  the  big  volumes.  Letters  of  priests ;  letters  of 
Indians,  with  their  marks  in  place  of  signatures ;  quar- 
rels of  governors  with  their  people ;  the  awful  tragedy 
when  Leisler  was  executed ;  Captain  Kidd  and  all  his 
history,  —  unfolded  themselves  in  the  manner  in  which 


156  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1614-1775. 

they  were  written  down  at  the  time ;  buried  for  a  hun- 
dred years  and  more  in  archive-rooms,  and  then  brought 
to  light  again.  The  children  read  a  scrap  here  and  a 
scrap  there  with  fearful  violation  of  chronology,  but 
gaining  just  the  "color"  for  the  history  which  letters 
written  at  the  time  give,  and  which  nothing  else  gives. 
Nothing  is  more  surprising  to  young  readers  than  to  see 
how  very  small  were  the  beginnings  of  an  American 
State.  Through  the  period  of  the  century  between 
Father  Jogues  and  1736  the  whole  population  of  the 
State  of  New  York  was  a  mere  handful,  Schenectady  a 
frontier  town,  and  Albany  an  insignificant  fort. 

The  young  people  were  surprised  when  the  bell  rang 
for  tea.  Hester  confessed,  as  she  walked  out  with 
Uncle  Fritz,  that  there  had  been  times  when  she  should 
not  have  thought  that  she  could  have  found  half  an 
hour's  amusement  in  reading  old  documents.  "  I  owe 
that  to  you,  Uncle  Fritz,"  she  said  prettily. 

"  Perhaps  I  have  taught  you  how  to  skip,"  he  said. 
"  That  i^  one  of  the  greatest  of  accomplishments." 

Here  are  two  verses  of  the  old  ballad  :  — 

"  From  forth  the  woods  of  Canada 
The  Frenchmen  tooke  their  Way 
The  People  of  Schenectady 
To  captivate  and  slay. 

"  They  march'd  for  two  &  twenty  Dais 
All  through  the  deepest  Snow ; 
And  on  a  dismal  Winter  Night 
They  strucke  the  Cruel  Blow." 


VIII. 

NORTHERN   DISCOVERIES. 

ON  New  Year's  Day,  after  the  children  had  given 
their  pretty  presents  to  Uncle  Fritz,  and  after  he 
had  shown  them  his  New  Year's  cards  and  other  greet- 
ings, he  asked  if  they  had  brought  anything  to  read. 

"We  are  all  alive  about  the  Indians,"  said  Laura. 
"We  have  seen  Miss  La  Flesche,  who  is  lovely,  and 
we  have  heard  her  talk  Indian.  She  never  would  have 
roasted  Father  Jogues  by  a  slow  fire.  Is  she  the  same 
sort  as  the  Iroquois  ?  " 

Uncle  Fritz  sent  for  the  second  volume  of  the  Arch- 
aeologia  Americana,  and  showed  them  Mr.  Gallatin's 
map  of  the  United  States,  and  the  division  of  it  into 
nine  great  Indian  families.  Fergus  said  the  map  was 
copied  in  a  volume  of  Bancroft's  History.  The  children 
saw  that  the  Massachusetts  Indians  are  Algonkins,  or, 
as  Mr.  Gallatin  says,  Algonkin-Lenape.  The  Iroquois, 
who  were  so  cruel  to  the  poor  Jesuit  Father,  are  of 
another  race. 

"  I  am  glad,"  said  Blanche,  "that  it  was  no  cousin  of 
my  nice  Waban  who  did  such  awful  things." 

Blanche  lives  on  Waban  Street,  though  the  sign- 
painters  spell  it  Wabon. 

Uncle  Fritz  said  grimly  that  he  was  glad  Blanche 
knew  he  was  "  nice."    The  children  saw  that  the  Algon- 


158  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  188 1. 

kin  family  covered  most  of  the  United  States  north  of 
the  Gulf  States  and  east  of  the  Mississippi,  excepting 
New  York  and  most  of  Pennsylvania,  where  were  Iro- 
quois tribes ;  and  that  there  were  Iroquois  tribes  west 
of  the  Niagara  in  the  peninsula  of  Canada.  They  saw 
that  the  Algonkins  extended  tar  north,  half  up  the  side 
of  Hudson's  Bay. 

"  But,  you  know,"  said  Uncle  Fritz,  "  that  they  are 
all  great  wanderers.  You  may  catch  a  bit  of  dialect 
thousands  of  miles  off  from  the  tribe  where  you  first 
found  it.  When  Mr.  Bartlett  was  on  the  frontier  of 
Mexico,  he  happened  to  notice  a  sort  of  'click,'  like 
the  Zulu  'click,'  in  the  language  of  the  Apaches,  the 
roving  horsemen  of  those  regions.  Mr.  Bartlett  is  a 
very  accurate  linguist,  and  he  remembered  that  Dr. 
Richardson  said  of  the  Athapescans  on  the  Arctic 
Ocean  that  they  had  such  a  'click.'  He  looked  in 
their  vocabularies,  and  he  found  they  used  some  of  the 
same  words  the  Apaches  did.  These  Apaches  had 
strayed  away  from  them,  nobody  knows  when." 

"Apache  sounds  like  Athapescan,"  said  Fergus;  and 
Uncle  Fritz  nodded  approval  of  the  bold  etymology. 

"  Well,  then,"  said  Tom  Rising,  "  I  suppose  any  of 
these  people  painted  yellow  on  the  map,  these  Chip- 
peways  and  the  rest,  can  read  your  Eliot's  Bible,  Uncle 
Fritz." 

"No,  my  boy,  that  is  asking  too  much.  For  the 
Massachusetts  dialect  and  Eliot's  spelling  of  it  are  now 
two  hundred  years  old,  and  probably  always  our  Indians 
differed  from  the  Hudson's  Bay  Indians,  for  instance, 
as  much  as  Italians  from  Frenchmen.  Still  Eliot's 
grammar  and  dictionary  are  useful  now  to  the  mission- 
aries among  any  Algonkin  tribes." 


l88l.  THE  INDIAN  FOR  "MAN. "  1 59 

The  children  began  comparing  words  in  the  vocabu- 
lary in  Mr.  Gallatin's  book,  and  trying  to  learn  them. 
Here  is  the  Indian  for  "man,"  from  one  language  of  each 
of  the  nine  great  Eastern  races.  Mr.  Gallatin  gives 
specimens  of  forty-four  languages,  which  are  all  grouped 
under  these  nine  divisions  :  — 

Man  in  a  language  of 

Eskimaux  is  TuAK. 

Athapescans  is  Tennee. 

Algonkins  is  Wosketomp. 

And,  among  Algonkins,  the  children  took  the  Massa- 
chusetts language,  so  as  to  know  what  Blanche's  ''nice'* 
Waban  said. 

Iroquois  is  Unguoh. 

Sioux  is  WONGAHAH. 

Catawbas  is  YabrechA. 

Cherokees  is  Askaya. 

Choctaws  is  Hottok  nokni. 

Muskhogees  is  Istahouanuah. 

The  Pawnees^  west  of  these  divisions,  called  "  man  " 

TSAEKSH. 

"  And  now,"  said  Uncle  Fritz,  who  had  been  looking 
among  his  Arctic  books,  "if  you  want  to  find  about 
your  nice  Algonkins  of  Hudson's  Bay  and  their  neigh- 
bors, look  at  my  marks  in  Hearne's  Travels  here." 

"  I  remember  in  an  old  atlas  the  Arctic  Ocean  was 
marked  *  Sea  seen  by  Mr.  Hearne.'  " 

"This  is  that  man.  On  the  night  between  July  17 
and  July  18,  177 1,  while  your  grandfather,  Tom,  was 
discussing  with  other  assembly-men  here  in  Boston,  how 
they  should  circumvent  Gov.  Hutchinson,  Hearne,  by 
the  light  of  a  sun  which  was  above  the  horizon,  was 


l6o  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1771. 

making  the  drawing  from  which  this  map  which  I 
showed  you  was  made.  And  I  am  sorry  to  say  your 
'  nice '  Algonkins,  who  were  with  him,  were  destroying 
some  tents  they  found  of  Northern  Indians. 

"  Now  you  will  find  some  curious  things  in  Hearne's 
book." 

And  the  children  followed  Uncle  Fritz's  book-marks 
and  read  these  passages  :  — 

When  on  the  northwest  side  of  Seal  River  I  asked 
Captain  Chawchinahaw  the  distance  and  probable  time 
it  would  take  before  we  could  reach  the  main  woods, 
which  he  assured  me  would  not  exceed  four  or  five 
days'  journey.  This  put  both  me  and  my  companions 
in  good  spirits,  and  we  continued  our  course  between 
the  west  by  north  and  northwest,  in  daily  expectation  of 
arriving  at  those  woods,  which  we  were  told  would  fur- 
nish us  with  everything  the  country  affords.  These 
accounts  were  so  far  from  being  true  that,  after  we  had 
walked  double  the  time  here  mentioned,  no  signs  of 
woods  were  to  be  seen  in  the  direction  we  were  then 
steering,  but  we  had  frequently  seen  the  looming  of 
woods  to  the  southwest. 

The  cold  being  now  very  intense,  our  small-  stock  of 
English  provisions  all  expended,  and  not  the  least  thing 
to  be  got  on  the  bleak  hills,  we  had  for  some  time  been 
walking  on  ;  it  became  necessary  to  strike  more  to  the 
westward,  which  we  accordingly  did,  and  the  next 
evening  arrived  at  some  small  patches  of  low,  scrubby 
woods,  where  we  saw  the  tracks  of  several  deer  and 
killed  a  few  partridges.  The  road  we  had  traversed  for 
many  days  before  was  in  general  so  rough  and  stony 
that  our  sledges  were  daily  breaking,  and  to  add  to  the 


I77I.  NORTHERN  DISCOVERIES.  l6l 

inconveniency  the  land  was  so  barren  as  not  to  afford 
us  materials  for  repairing  them ;  but  the  few  woods  we 
now  fell  in  with  amply  supplied  us  with  necessaries  for 
those  repairs,  and  as  we  were  then  enabled  each  night 
to  pitch  proper  tents,  our  lodging  was  much  more  com- 
fortable than  it  had  been  for  many  nights  before  while 
we  were  on  the  barren  grounds,  where,  in  general,  we 
thought  ourselves  well  off  if  we  could  scrape  together  as 
many  shrubs  as  would  make  a  fire.  But  it  was  scarcely 
ever  in  our  power  to  make  any  other  defence  against 
the  weather  than  by  digging  a  hole  in  the  snow  down 
to  the  moss,  wrapping  ourselves  up  in  our  clothing  and 
lying  down  in  it,  with  our  sledges  set  up  edgeways  to 
windward.  ...  By  this  time  I  found  that  Captain 
Chawchinahaw  had  not  the  prosperity  of  the  under- 
taking at  heart ;  he  often  painted  the  difficulties  in  the 
worst  colors,  took  every  method  to  dishearten  me  and 
my  European  companions,  and  several  times  hinted  his 
desire  of  our  returning  back  to  the  factory.  But,  finding 
I  was  determined  to  proceed  he  took  such  methods  as 
he  thought  would  be  most  likely  to  answer  his  end ;  one 
of  which  was  that  of  not  administering  toward  our  sup- 
port, so  that  we  were  a  considerable  time  without  any 
other  subsistence  but  what  our  two  home-guard  Indians 
procured,  and  the  little  that  I  and  the  two  European 
men  could  kill,  which  was  very  disproportionate  to  our 
wants,  as  we  had  to  provide  for  several  women  and 
children  who  were  with  us.  Chawchinahaw  finding  that 
this  kind  of  treatment  was  not  likely  to  complete  his 
design,  and  that  we  were  not  to  be  starved  into  com- 
pliance, at  length  influenced  several  of  the  best  Northern 
Indians  to  desert  in  the  night,  who  took  with  them  sev- 
eral bags  of  my  ammunition,  some  pieces  of  iron-work, 


1 62  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1771. 

such  as  hatchets,  ice-chisels,  files,  etc.,  as  well  as  several 
other  useful  articles.  When  I  became  acquainted  with 
this  piece  of  villany,  I  asked  Chawchinahaw  the  reason 
of  such  behavior.  To  which  he  answered  that  he  knew 
nothing  of  the  affair,  but  as  that  was  the  case  it  would 
not  be  prudent,  he  said,  for  us  to  proceed  any  farther, 
adding  that  he  and  all  the  rest  of  his  countrymen  were 
going  to  strike  off  another  way  in  order  to  join  the 
remainder  of  their  wives  and  families ;  and,  after  giving 
us  a  short  account  of  how  to  steer  our  course  for  the 
nearest  part  of  Seal  River,  which  he  said  would  be  our 
best  way  homeward,  he  and  his  crew  delivered  me  most 
of  the  things  they  had  in  charge,  packed  up  their  awls, 
and  set  out  toward  the  southwest,  making  the  woods 
ring  with  laughter,  and  left  us  to  consider  our  unhappy 
situation,  near  two  hundred  miles  from  Prince  of  Wales's 
fort,  all  heavily  laden,  and  our  strength  and  spirits 
greatly  reduced  by  hunger  and  fatigue.  Our  situation 
at  that  time,  though  very  alarming,  would  not  permit  us 
to  spend  much  time  in  reflection,  so  we  loaded  our 
sledges  to  the  best  advantage,  but  were  obliged  to  throw 
away  some  bags  of  shot  and  ball,  and  immediately  set 
out  on  our  return.  In  the  course  of  the  day's  walk  we 
were  fortunate  enough  to  kill  several  partridges,  for 
which  we  were  all  very  thankful,  as  it  was  the  first  meat 
we  had  had  for  several  days ;  indeed,  for  the  five  pre- 
ceding days  we  had  not  killed  as  much  as  amounted  to 
half  a  partridge  for  each  man,  and  some  days  had  not  a 
single  mouthful.  While  \ve  were  in  this  distress  the 
Northern  Indians  were  by  no  means  in  want,  for  as 
they  always  walked  foremost  they  had  ten  times  the 
chance  to  kill  partridges,  rabbits,  or  any  other  thing 
which  was  to  be  met  with  than  we  had.     Besides  this 


c  o  c  c  c       < 


I77I.  NORTHERN  DISCOVERIES.  1 63 

advantage  they  had  great  stocks  of  flour,  oatmeal,  and 
other  EngUsh  provisions,  which  they  had  embezzled  out 
of  my  stock  during  the  early  part  of  the  journey,  and 
as  one  of  my  home  Indians,  called  Mackachy,  and  his 
wife,  who  is  a  Northern  Indian  woman,  always  resorted 
to  the  Northern  Indians'  tents,  where  they  got  amply 
supplied  with  provisions  when  neither  I  nor  my  men 
had  a  single  mouthful,  I  have  great  reason  to  suspect 
they  had  a  principal  hand  in  the  embezzlement ;  indeed, 
both  the  man  and  his  wife  were  capable  of  committing 
any  crime,  however  diabolical.  In  our  course  down 
Seal  River  we  met  a  stranger,  a  Northern  Indian,  on  a 
hunting  excursion,  and  though  he  had  not  met  with  any 
success  that  day  yet  he  kindly  invited  us  to  his  tent, 
saying  he  had  plenty  of  venison  at  my  service,  and  told 
the  Southern  Indians  that  as  there  were  two  or  three 
beaver  houses  near  his  tent,  he  should  be  glad  of  their 
assistance  in  taking  them,  for  there  was  only  one  man 
with  three  women  at  the  tent. 

Though  we  were  at  that  time  far  from  being  in  want 
of  provisions,  yet  we  accepted  his  offer,  and  set  off  with 
our  new  guide  for  his  tent,  which,  by  a  comparative  dis- 
tance, he  told  us,  was  not  above  five  miles  from  the 
place  where  we  met  him,  but  we  found  it  to  be  nearer 
fifteen,  so  that  it  was  the  middle  of  the  night  before  we 
arrived  at  it.  When  we  drew  near  the  tent  the  usual 
signal  for  the  approach  of  strangers  was  given  by  firing 
a  gun  or  two,  which  was  immediately  answered  by  the 
man  at  the  tent.  On  our  arrival  at  the  door  the  good 
man  of  the  house  came  out,  shook  me  by  the  hand,  and 
welcomed  us  to  his  tent,  but  as  it  was  too  small  to  con- 
tain us  all  he  ordered  his  women  to  assist  us  in  pitching 
our  tent,  and  in  the  mean  time  invited  me  and  as  many 


1 64  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1771. 

of  my  crew  as  his  little  habitation  could  contain,  and 
regaled  us  with  the  best  in  the  house.  The  pipe  went 
round  pretty  briskly,  and  the  conversation  naturally 
turned  on  the  treatment  we  had  received  from  Chaw- 
chinahaw  and  his  gang,  which  was  always  answered  by 
our  host  with  "  Ah !  if  I  had  been  there,  it  should  not 
have  been  so ! "  But,  notwithstanding  his  hospitality 
on  the  present  occasion,  he  would  most  assuredly  have 
acted  the  same  part  as  the  others  had  done,  if  he  had 
been  of  the  party.  .  .  . 

When  the  Indians  design  to  impound  deer  they  look 
out  for  one  of  the  paths  in  which  a  number  of  them 
have  trod,  and  which  is  observed  to  be  still  frequented 
by  them.  When  these  paths  cross  a  lake,  a  wide  river, 
or  a  barren  plain,  they  are  found  to  be  much  the  best 
for  the  purpose,  and  if  the  path  run  through  a  cluster 
of  woods  capable  of  affording  materials  for  building  a 
pound,  it  adds  considerably  to  the  commodiousness  of 
the  situation.  The  poi^nd  is  built  by  making  a  strong 
fence  with  brushy  trees,  without  observing  any  degree 
of  regularity,  and  the  work  is  continued  to  any  extent, 
according  to  the  pleasure  of  the  builders.  I  have  seen 
some  that  were  not  less  than  a  mile  round,  and  am 
informed  that  there  are  others  still  more  extensive. 
The  door,  or  entrance  of  the  pound,  is  not  larger  than 
a  common  gate,  and  the  inside  is  so  crowded  with  small 
counter-hedges  as  very  much  to  resemble  a  maze,  in 
every  opening  of  which  they  set  a  snare,  made  with 
thongs  of  parchment  deer-skins  well  twisted  together, 
which  are  amazingly  strong.  One  end  of  the  snare  is 
usually  made  fast  to  a  growing  pole,  but  if  no  one  of  a 
sufficient  size  can  be  found  near  the  place  where  the 
snare  is  to  be  set,  a  loose  pole  is  substituted  in  its  room, 


1 77 1.  NORTHERN  DISCOVERIES.  1 65 

which  is  always  of  such  size  and  length  that  a  deer  can- 
not drag  it  far  before  it  gets  entangled  among  the  other 
woods,  which  are  all  left  standing  except  what  is  found 
necessary  for  making  the  fence,  hedges,  etc. 

The  pound  being  thus  prepared,  a  row  of  small  brush- 
wood is  stuck  up  in  the  snow  on  each  side  the  door 
or  entrance,  and  these  hedge-rows  are  continued  along 
the  open  part  of  the  lake,  river,  or  plain,  where  neither 
stick  nor  stump  besides  is  to  be  seen,  which  makes 
them  the  more  distinctly  observed.  These  poles,  or 
brushwood,  are  generally  placed  at  the  distance  of 
fifteen  or  twenty  yards  from  each  other,  and  ranged  in 
such  a  manner  as  to  form  two  sides  of  a  long  acute 
angle,  growing  gradually  wider  in  proportion  to  the  dis- 
tance they  extend  from  the  entrance  of  the  pound, 
which  sometimes  is  not  less  than  two  or  three  miles ; 
while  the  deer's  path  is  exactly  along  the  middle,  be- 
tween the  two  rows  of  brushwood.  Indians  employed 
on  this  service  always  pitch  their  tent  on  or  near  an 
eminence  that  affords  a  commanding  prospect  of  the 
path  leading  to  the  pound,  and  when  they  see  any  deer 
going  that  way,  men,  women,  and  children  walk  along 
the  lake  or  riverside  under  cover  of  the  woods  till  they 
get  behind  them,  then  step  forth  to  open  view,  and  pro- 
ceed towards  the  pound  in  the  form  of  a  crescent.  The 
poor  timorous  deer,  finding  themselves  pursued  and  at 
the  same  time  taking  the  two  rows  of  brushy  poles  to 
be  two  ranks  of  people  stationed  to  prevent  their  pass- 
ing on  either  side,  run  straight  forward  in  the  path  till 
they  get  into  the  pound.  The  Indians  then  close  in 
and  block  up  the  entrance  with  some  bushy  trees  that 
have  been  cut  down  and  lie  at  hand  for  that  purpose. 
The  deer  being  thus  enclosed  the  women  and  children 


1 66  STORIES   OF  ADVENTURE.  1771, 

walk  round  the  pound  to  prevent  them  from  breaking 
or  jumping  over  the  fence,  while  the  men  are  employed 
spearing  such  as  are  entangled  in  the  snares,  and  shoot- 
ing with  bows  and  arrows  those  which  remain  loose  in 
the  pound.  .  .  . 

Agreeably  to  my  instructions,  I  smoked  my  calumet 
of  peace  with  the  Copper  Indians,  who  seemed  highly 
pleased  on  the  occasion  ;  and,  from  a  conversation  held 
on  the  subject  of  my  journey,  I  found  they  were  de- 
lighted with  the  hopes  of  having  a  European  settle- 
ment in  the  neighborhood,  and  seemed  to  have  no  idea 
that  any  impediment  could  prevent  such  a  scheme  from 
being  carried  into  execution.  Climates  and  seasons  had 
no  weight  with  them,  nor  could  they  see  where  the  diffi- 
culty lay  in  getting  there  ;  for  though  they  acknowledged 
that  they  had  never  seen  the  sea  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Copper  River  clear  of  ice,  yet  they  could  see  nothing 
that  should  hinder  a  ship  from  approaching  it,  and  they 
innocently  enough  observed  that  the  water  was  always 
so  smooth  between  the  ice  and  shore  that  even  small 
boats  might  get  there  with  great  ease  and  safety.  How 
a  ship  was  to  get  between  the  ice  and  the  shore  never 
once  occurred  to  them. 

Whether  from  hospitality,  or  from  the  great  advan- 
tages which  they  expected  to  reap  by  my  discoveries,  I 
know  not  \  but  I  must  confess  that  their  civility  far  ex- 
ceeded what  I  could  expect  from  so  uncivilized  a  tribe, 
and  I  was  exceedingly  sorry  that  I  had  nothing  of  value 
to  offer  them.  However,  such  articles  as  I  had  I  dis- 
tributed among  them,  and  they  were  thankfully  received 
by  them.  Though  they  have  some  European  commodities 
among  them,  which  they  purchase  from  the  Northern 
Indians,  the  same  articles  from  the  hands  of  an  English- 


1771-  ^   CONJURING-HOUSE.  1 6/ 

man  were  more  prized.  As  I  was  the  first  whom  they 
had  ever  seen,  and  in  all  probability  might  be  the  last, 
it  was  curious  to  see  how  they  flocked  about  me,  and 
expressed  as  much  desire  to  examine  me  from  top  to 
toe  as  a  European  naturalist  would  a  nondescript 
animal.  They,  however,  found  and  pronounced  me  to 
be  a  perfect  human  being,  except  in  the  color  of  my 
hair  and  eyes ;  the  former,  they  said,  was  like  the  stained 
hair  of  a  buffalo's  tail,  and  the  latter,  being  light,  were 
like  those  of  a  gull.  The  whiteness  of  my  skin  also 
was,  in  their  opinion,  no  ornament,  as  they  said  it 
resembled  meat  which  had  been  sodden  in  water  till  all 
the  blood  was  extracted.  On  the  whole,  I  was  viewed 
as  so  great  a  curiosity  in  this  part  of  the  world  that 
during  my  stay  there,  whenever  I  combed  my  head, 
some  or  other  of  them  never  failed  to  ask  for  the  hairs 
that  came  off,  which  they  carefully  wrapped  up,  saying, 
"  When  I  see  you  again,  you  shall  see  your  hair."  .  .  . 

When  a  friend  for  whom  they  have  a  particular  regard 
is,  as  they  suppose,  dangerously  ill,  they  have  recourse 
to  another  extraordinary  superstition,  which  is  no  less 
than  that  of  pretending  to  swallow  hatchets,  ice-chisels, 
broad  bayonets,  knives,  and  the  like,  out  of  a  super- 
stitious notion  that  undertaking  such  desperate  feats 
will  have  some  influence  in  appeasing  death,  and  pro- 
cure  a  respite  for  their  patient.  On  such  extraordinary 
occasions  a  conjuring-house  is  erected,  by  driving  the 
ends  of  four  long  small  sticks,  or  poles,  into  the  ground 
at  right  angles,  so  as  to  form  a  square  of  four,  five,  six, 
or  seven  feet,  as  may  be  required.  The  tops  of  the 
poles  are  tied  together,  and  all  is  close  covered  with  a 
tent-cloth  or  other  skin,  exactly  in  the  shape  of  a  small 
square  tent,  except  that  there  is  no  vacancy  left  at  the 


1 68  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1771. 

top  to  admit  the  light.  In  the  middle  of  this  teni  the 
patient  is  laid,  and  is  soon  followed  by  the  conjuror  or 
conjurors.  Sometimes  five  or  six  of  them  give  their 
joint  assistance,  but  before  they  enter  they  strip  them- 
selves quite  naked,  and  as  soon  as  they  get  into  the 
house,  the  door  being  well  closed,  they  kneel  round  the 
sick  person  and  begin  to  blow  at  the  parts  affected,  and 
then  in  a  very  short  space  of  time  sing  and  talk  as  if 
conversing  with  familiar  spirits,  which  they  say  appear 
to  them  in  the  shape  of  different  beasts  and  birds  of 
prey.  When  they  have  had  sufficient  conference  with 
those  necessary  agents,  or  shadows,  as  they  term  them, 
they  ask  for  the  hatchet,  bayonet,  or  the  like,  which  is 
always  prepared  by  another  person  with  a  long  string 
fastened  to  it  by  the  haft,  for  the  convenience  of  hauling 
it  up  again  after  they  have  swallowed  it,  for  they  very 
wisely  admit  this  to  be  a  necessary  precaution,  as  hard 
and  compact  bodies,  such  as  iron  and  steel,  would  be 
very  hard  to  digest,  even  by  the  men  who  are  enabled 
to  swallow  them.  Besides,  as  those  tools  are  in  them- 
selves very  useful,  and  not  always  to  be  procured,  it 
would  be  very  ungenerous  in  the  conjurers  to  digest 
them,  when  it  is  known  that  barely  swallowing  them 
and  hauling  them  up  again  is  fully  sufficient  to  answer 
every  purpose  that  is  expected  from  them. 

At  the  time  when  the  forty  and  odd  tents  of  Indians 
joined  us,  one  man  was  so  dangerously  ill,  that  it  was 
thought  necessary  the  conjurers  should  use  some  of 
those  wonderful  experiments  for  his  recovery;  one  of 
them  therefore  immediately  consented  to  swallow  a 
broad  bayonet.  Accordingly,  a  conjuring-house  was 
erected  in  the  manner  above  described,  into  which  the 
patient  was  conveyed,  and  he  was  soon  followed  by  the 


I77I.  THE  BAYONET  TRICK.  169 

conjurer,  who,  after  a  long  preparatory  discourse,  and 
the  necessary  conference  with  the  familiar  spirits,  or 
shadows,  as  they  call  them,  advanced  to  the  door  and 
asked  for  the  bayonet,  which  was  then  ready  prepared, 
by  having  a  string  tied  to  it,  and  a  short  piece  of  wood 
tied  to  the  other  end  of  the  string  to  prevent  him  from 
swallowing  it.  I  could  not  help  observing  that  the 
length  of  the  bit  of  wood  was  not  more  than  the  breadth 
of  the  bayonet;  however,  as  it  answered  the  intended 
purpose,  it  did  equally  well  as  if  it  had  been  as  long  as 
a  handspike.  Though  I  am  not  so  credulous  as  to  be- 
lieve that  the  conjurer  absolutely  swallowed  the  bayonet, 
yet  I  must  acknowledge  that  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye 
he  conveyed  it  to  —  God  knows  where ;  and  the  small 
piece  of  wood,  or  one  exactly  like  it,  was  confined  close 
to  his  teeth.  He  then  paraded  back  and  forth  before  the 
conjuring-house  for  a  short  time,  when  he  feigned  to  be 
greatly  distressed  in  his  stomach  and  bowels ;  and,  after 
making  many  wry  faces,  and  groaning  most  hideously, 
he  put  his  body  into  several  distorted  attitudes  very 
suitable  to  the  occasion.  He  then  returned  to  the  door 
of  the  conjuring-house,  and  after  making  many  strong 
efforts  to  vomit,  by  the  help  of  the  string  he  at  length, 
and  after  tugging  at  it  for  some  time,  produced  the 
bayonet,  which  apparently  he  hauled  out  of  his  mouth, 
to  the  no  small  surprise  of  all  present.  He  then  looked 
round  with  an  air  of  exultation  and  strutted  into  the 
house,  where  he  renewed  his  incantations,  and  continued 
them  without  intermission  twenty-four  hours.  Though 
I  was  not  close  to  his  elbow  when  he  performed  the 
above  feat,  yet  I  thought  myself  near  enough  to  have 
detected  him.  Indeed,  I  must  confess  that  it  appeared 
to  me  to  be  a  very  nice  piece  of  deception,  especially  as 
it  was  performed  by  a  man  quite  naked. 


170  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1771. 

Not  long  after  this  sleight-of-hand  work  was  over 
some  of  the  Indians  asked  me  what  I  thought  of  it,  to 
which  I  answered  that  I  was  too  far  off  to  see  it  so 
plain  as  I  could  wish,  which  indeed  was  no  more  than 
the  strictest  truth,  because  I  was  not  near  enough  to 
detect  the  deception.  The  sick  man,  however,  soon 
recovered,  and  in  a  few  days  afterwards  we  left  that 
place  and  proceeded  to  the  southwest.-^  .  .  . 

I  do  not  remember  to  have  met  with  any  travellers 
into  high  northern  latitudes  who  remarked  their  having 
heard  the  Northern  Lights  make  any  noise  in  the  air  as 
they  vary  their  colors  or  position,  which  may  probably 
be  owing  to  the  want  of  perfect  silence  at  the  time  they 
made  their  observations.  I  can  positively  affirm  that 
in  still  nights  I  have  frequently  heard  them  make  a 
rustling  sound  and  crackling  noise,  like  the  waving  of  a 
large  flag  in  a  fresh  gale  of  wind.  This  is  not  peculiar 
to  the  place  of  which  I  am  now  writing,  as  I  have  heard 
the  same  noise  very  plain  at  Churchill  River,  and  in  all 
probability  it  is  only  for  want  of  attention  that  it  has 
not  been  heard  in  every  part  of  the  northern  hem- 
isphere where  they  have  been  known  to  shine  with  any 
degree  of  lustre.  .  .  . 

The  beaver  being  so  plentiful  the  attention  of  my 
companions  was  chiefly  engaged  on  them,  as  they  not 
only  furnished  delicious  food,  but  their  skins  proved  a 
valuable  acquisition,  being  a  principal  article  of  trade 
as  well  as  a  serviceable  one  for  clothing,  etc.  The 
situation  of  the  beaver-houses  is  various.  Where  the 
beavers  are  numerous  they  are  found  to  inhabit  lakes, 
ponds,  and  rivers,  as  well  as  those  narrow  creeks  which 

1  Mr.  Hearne  afterwards  gives  rather  a  lame  explanation  of  the  least 
important  part  of  this  trick. 


1 771.  THE  BEAVER.  I71 

connect  the  numerous  lakes  with  which  this  country- 
abounds,  but  the  two  latter  are  generally  chosen  by 
them  when  the  depth  of  water  and  other  circumstances 
are  suitable,  as  they  have  then  the  advantage  of  a  cur- 
rent to  convey  wood  and  other  necessaries  to  their 
habitations,  and  because,  in  general,  they  are  more 
difficult  to  be  taken  than  those  that  are  built  in  stand- 
ing water. 

There  is  no  one  particular  part  of  a  lake,  pond, 
river,  or  creek,  of  which  the  beavers  make  choice  for 
building  their  houses  on,  in  preference  to  another,  for 
they  sometimes  build  on  points,  sometimes  in  the  hol- 
low of  a  bay,  and  often  on  small  islands ;  they  always 
choose,  however,  those  parts  that  have  such  a  depth  of 
water  as  will  resist  the  frost  in  winter  and  prevent  it 
from  freezing  to  the  bottom.  The  beavers  that  build 
their  houses  in  small  rivers  or  creeks,  in  which  the 
water  is  liable  to  be  drained  off  when  the  back  supplies 
are  dried  up  by  the  frost,  are  wonderfully  taught  by 
instinct  to  provide  against  that  evil  by  making  a  dam 
quite  across  the  river,  at  a  convenient  distance  from 
their  houses.  This  I  look  upon  as  the  most  curious 
piece  of  workmanship  that  is  performed  by  the  beaver ; 
not  so  much  for  the  neatness  of  the  work  as  for  its 
strength  and  real  service,  and  at  the  same  time  it  dis- 
covers such  a  degree  of  sagacity  and  foresight  in  the 
animal  of  approaching  evils  as  is  little  inferior  to  that 
of  the  human  species,  and  is  certainly  peculiar  to  those 
animals. 

The  beaver-dams  differ  in  shape  according  to  the  na- 
ture of  the  place  in  which  they  are  built.  If  the 
water  in  the  river  or  creek  have  but  little  motion  the 
dam  is  almost  straight,  but  when  the  current  is  more 


1/2  STORIES  OP  ADVENTURE.  1771. 

rapid  it  is  always  made  with  a  considerable  curve,  con- 
vex toward  the  stream.  The  materials  made  use  of  in 
those  dams  are  drift-wood,  green  willows,  birch,  and 
poplars,  if  they  can  be  got,  also  mud  and  stones  inter- 
mixed in  such  a  manner  as  must  evidently  contribute  to 
the  strength  of  the  dam,  but  in  these  dams  there  is  no 
other  order  or  method  observed,  except  that  of  the 
work  being  carried  on  with  a  regular  sweep,  and  all  the 
parts  being  made  of  equal  strength.  In  places  which 
have  long  been  frequented  by  beavers  undisturbed, 
their  dams  by  frequent  repairing  become  a  solid  bank, 
capable  of  resisting  a  great  force  both  of  water  and  ice, 
and  as  the  willow,  poplar,  and  birch  generally  take  root 
and  shoot  up,  they  by  degrees  form  a  kind  of  regular- 
planted  hedge,  which  I  have  seen  in  some  places  so  tall 
that  birds  have  built  their  nests  among  the  branches. 

Though  the  beaver  which  build  their  houses  in  lakes 
and  other  standing  waters  may  enjoy  a  sufficient  quan- 
tity of  their  favorite  element  without  the  assistance  of  a 
dam,  the  trouble  of  getting  wood  and  other  necessaries 
to  their  habitations  without  the  help  of  a  current  must, 
in  some  measure,  counterbalance  the  other  advantages 
which  are  reaped  from  such  a  situation,  for  it  must  be 
observed  that  the  beaver  which  build  in  rivers  and 
creeks  always  cut  their  wood  above  their  houses  so  that 
the  current,  with  little  trouble,  conveys  it  to  the  place 
required. 

The  beaver-houses  are  built  of  the  same  materials  as 
their  dams  and  are  always  proportioned  in  size  to  the 
number  of  inhabitants,  which  seldom  exceed  four  old 
and  six  or  eight  young  ones;  though,  by  chance  I 
have  seen  above  double  that  number.  These  houses, 
though  not  altogether  unworthy  of  admiration,  fall  very 


I77I.  THE  BEAVER,  1 73 

short  of  the  general  description  of  them ;  for,  instead 
of  order  or  regulation  being  observed  in  rearing  them, 
they  are  of  a  much  ruder  structure  than  their  dams. 

Those  who  have  undertaken  to  describe  the  inside  of 
beaver-houses  as  having  several  apartments  appropriated 
to  various  uses,  such  as  eating,  sleeping,  store-houses 
for  provisions,  etc.,  must  have  been  very  little  acquainted 
with  the  subject,  or,  which  is  still  worse,  guilty  of  attempt- 
ing to  impose  on  the  credulous  by  representing  the  great- 
est falsehoods  as  facts.  Many  years  residence  among 
the  Indians,  during  which  I  had  an  opportunity  of  seeing 
hundreds  of  these  houses,  has  enabled  me  to  affirm  that 
everything  of  the  kind  is  entirely  void  of  truth ;  for, 
notwithstanding  the  sagacity  of  those  animals,  it  has 
never  been  observed  that  they  aim  at  any  other  con- 
veniences in  their  houses  than  to  have  a  dry  place  to  lie 
on,  and  there  they  usually  eat  their  victuals  which  they 
occasionally  take  out  of  the  water.  It  frequently  hap- 
pens that  some  of  the  large  houses  are  found  to  have 
one  or  more  partitions,  if  they  deserve  that  appellation, 
but  that  is  no  more  than  a  part  of  the  main  building 
left  by  the  sagacity  of  the  beaver  to  support  the  roof. 
On  such  occasions  it  is  common  for  those  different 
apartments,  as  some  are  pleased  to  call  them,  to  have 
no  communication  with  each  other  except  by  water  ;  so 
that  in  fact  they  may  be  called  double  or  treble  houses 
rather  than  different  apartments  of  the  same  house.  I 
have  seen  a  large  beaver-house  built  in  a  small  island 
that  had  near  a  dozen  apartments  under  one  roof ;  and, 
two  or  three  of  these  only  excepted,  none  of  them  had 
any  communication  with  each  other  but  by  water.  As 
there  were  beaver  enough  to  inhabit  each  apartment  it 
is  more  than  probable  that  each  family  knew  its  own, 


1/4  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1771. 

and  always  entered  at  their  own  door,  without  having 
any  further  connection  with  their  neighbors  than  a 
friendly  intercourse,  and  to  join  their  united  labors  in 
erecting  their  separate  habitations  and  building  their 
dams  where  required.  It  is  difficult  to  say  whether 
their  interest  on  other  occasions  was  anyways  recip- 
rocal. 

Travellers  who  assert  that  the  beaver  have  two 
doors  to  their  houses,  one  on  the  land  side  and  the 
other  next  the  water,  seem  to  be  less  acquainted  with 
those  animals  than  others  who  assign  them  an  elegant 
suite  of  apartments.  Such  a  proceeding  would  be  quite 
contrary  to  their  manner  of  life,  and  at  the  same  time 
would  render  their  houses  of  no  use,  either  to  protect 
them  from  their  enemies  or  guard  them  against  the 
extreme  cold  of  winter. 

The  quiquepatches  or  wolverines  are  great  enemies 
to  the  beaver,  and  if  there  were  a  passage  into  their 
houses  on  the  land  side  would  not  leave  one  of  them 
alive  wherever  they  came.  I  cannot  refrain  from 
smiling  when  I  read  the  accounts  of  different  authors 
who  have  written  on  the  economy  of  these  animals,  as 
there  seems  to  be  a  contest  between  them  who  shall 
most  exceed  in  fiction.  But  the  "  Compiler  of  Wonders 
of  Nature  and  Art "  seems,  in  my  opinion,  to  have  suc- 
ceeded best  in  this  respect,  as  he  has  not  only  collected 
all  the  fictions  into  which  other  writers  on  the  subject 
have  run,  but  has  so  greatly  improved  on  them  that 
little  remains  to  be  added  to  his  account  of  the  beaver, 
beside  a  vocabulary  of  their  language,  a  code  of  their 
laws,  and  a  sketch  of  their  religion,  to  make  it  the  most 
complete  natural  history  of  that  animal  that  can  possibly 
be  offered  to  the  public.  ...  To  deny  that  the  beaver 


I77I.  THE  BEAVER.  1 75 

is  possessed  of  a  very  considerable  degree  of  sagacity 
would  be  as  absurd  in  me  as  it  is  in  those  authors  who 
think  they  cannot  allow  them  too  much.  I  shall  wil- 
lingly grant  them  their  full  share,  but  it  is  impossible 
for  any  one  to  conceive  how,  or  by  what  means,  a 
beaver,  whose  whole  height  when  standing  erect  does 
not  exceed  two  feet  and  a  half,  or  three  feet  at  most, 
and  whose  fore-paws  are  not  much  larger  than  a  half- 
crown  piece,  can  "  drive  stakes  as  thick  as  a  man's  leg 
into  the  ground,  three  or  four  feet  deep."  Their  "wat- 
tling those  stakes  with  twigs "  is  equally  absurd,  and 
their  "  plastering  the  inside  of  their  houses  with  a  com- 
position of  mud  and  straw,  and  swimming  with  mud  and 
straw  on  their  tails "  are  still  more  incredible.  The 
form  and  size  of  the  animal,  notwithstanding  all  its 
sagacity,  will  not  admit  of  its  performing  such  feats, 
and  it  would  be  as  impossible  for  a  beaver  to  use  its 
tail  as  a  trowel,  except  on  the  surface  of  the  ground  on 
which  it  walks,  as  it  would  have  been  for  Sir  James 
Thornhill  to  have  painted  the  dome  of  St.  Paul's  Ca- 
thedral without  the  assistance  of  a  scaifolding.  The 
joints  of  their  tail  will  not  admit  of  their  turning  it  over 
on  their  backs  on  any  occasion  whatever,  as  it  has  a 
natural  inclination  to  bend  downwards,  and  it  is  not 
without  some  considerable  exertion  that  they  can  keep 
it  from  trailing  on  the  ground.  This  being  the  case 
they  cannot  sit  erect,  like  a  squirrel,  which  is  their  com- 
mon posture,  particularly  when  eating,  or  when  they  are 
cleaning  themselves  as  a  cat  or  squirrel  does,  without 
having  their  tails  bent  forward  between  their  legs,  and 
which  may  not  improperly  be  called  their  trencher. 

So  far  are  the  beaver  from  driving  stakes  into  the 
ground  when  building  their  houses,  that  they  lay  most  of 


176  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE,  1771. 

the  wood  crosswise,  and  nearly  horizontal,  and  without 
any  other  order  than  that  of  leaving  a  hollow  or  cavity 
in  the  middle;  when  any  unnecessary  branches  project 
inward  they  cut  them  off  with  their  teeth,  and  throw 
them  in  among  the  rest,  to  prevent  the  mud  from  falling 
through  the  roof.  It  is  a  mistaken  notion  that  the 
wood-work  is  first  completed  and  then  plastered ;  for 
the  whole  of  their  houses,  as  well  as  their  dams,  are 
from  the  foundation  one  mass  of  wood  and  mud,  mixed 
with  stones,  if  they  can  be  procured.  The  mud  is 
always  taken  from  the  edge  of  the  bank,  or  the  bottom 
of  the  creek  or  pond,  near  the  door  of  the  house ;  and 
though  their  fore-paws  are  so  small,  yet  it  is  held  close 
up  between  them,  under  their  throat,  that  they  carry 
both  mud  and  stones,  while  they  always  drag  the  wood 
with  their  teeth.  All  their  work  is  executed  in  the 
night,  and  they  are  so  expeditious  in  completing  it  that 
in  the  course  of  one  night  I  have  known  them  to  have 
collected  as  much  mud  at  their  houses  as  to  have 
amounted  to  some  thousands  of  their  little  handfuls, 
and  when  any  mixture  of  grass  or  straw  has  appeared 
in  it,  it  has  been,  most  assuredly,  mere  chance,  owing  to 
the  nature  of  the  ground  from  which  they  had  taken  it. 
As  to  their  designedly  making  a  composition  for  that 
purpose,  it  is  entirely  void  of  truth.  ...  As  they  are  seen 
to  walk  over  their  work  and  sometimes  to  give  a  flap 
with  their  tail,  particularly  when  plunging  into  the  water, 
this  has,  without  doubt,  given  rise  to  the  vulgar  opinion 
that  they  use  their  tails  as  a  trowel,  with  which  they 
plaster  their  houses,  whereas  that  flapping  of  the  tail  is 
no  more  than  a  custom,  which  they  always  preserve, 
even  when  they  become  tame  and  domestic,  and  more 
particularly  so  when  they  are  startled.  .  .  . 


I77t.  THE  BEAVER.  I'/J 

When  the  beaver  which  are  situated  in  a  small  river 
or  creek  are  to  be  taken  the  Indians  sometimes  find  it 
necessary  to  stake  the  river  across  to  prevent  them 
from  passing,  after  which  they  endeavor  to  find  out  all 
their  holes  or  places  of  retreat  in  the  banks.  This 
requires  much  practice  and  experience  to  accomplish, 
and  is  performed  in  the  following  manner :  Every  man 
being  furnished  with  an  ice-chisel,  lashes  it  to  the  end 
of  a  small  staff  about  four  or  five  feet  long ;  he  then 
walks  along  the  edge  of  the  banks  and  keeps  knocking 
his  chisels  against  the  ice.  Those  who  are  well  ac- 
quainted with  that  kind  of  work  well  know  by  the 
sound  of  the  ice  when  they  are  opposite  to  any  of  the 
beaver's  holes  or  vaults.  As  soon  as  they  suspect  any 
they  cut  a  hole  through  the  ice  big  enough  to  admit  an 
old  beaver,  and  in  this  manner  proceed  till  they  have 
found  out  all  their  places  of  retreat,  or  at  least  as  many 
of  them  as  possible.  While  the  principal  men  are  thus 
employed,  some  of  the  understrappers  and  the  women 
and  children  are  busy  in  breaking  open  the  house, 
which  at  times  is  no  easy  task,  for  I  have  known  these 
houses  to  be  five  and  six  feet  thick,  and  one  in  par- 
ticular was  more  than  eight  feet  thick  on  the  crown. 
When  the  beaver  find  that  their  habitations  are  in- 
vaded they  fly  to  the  holes  in  the  banks  for  shelter,  and 
on  being  perceived  by  the  Indians,  which  is  easily  done 
by  attending  to  the  motion  of  the  water,  they  block  up 
the  entrance  with  stakes  of  wood,  and  then  haul  the 
beaver  out  of  its  hole,  either  by  hand,  if  they  can  reach 
it,  or  with  a  large  hook  made  for  that  purpose,  which  is 
fastened  to  the  end  of  a  long  stick. 

The  beaver  cannot  keep  under  water  long  at  a  time, 
so  that  when  their  houses  are  broken  open,  and  all 

12 


178  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1771. 

their  places  of  retreat  discovered,  they  have  but  one 
choice  left,  as  it  may  be  called,  either  to  be  taken  in 
their  houses  or  their  vaults.  In  general  they  prefer  the 
latter ;  for  where  one  beaver  is  taken  in  the  house  many 
thousands  are  taken  in  their  vaults  in  the  banks.  .  .  . 

On  the  eleventh  of  January,  as  some  of  my  com- 
panions were  hunting,  they  saw  the  track  of  a  strange 
snow-shoe,  which  they  followed,  and  at  a  considerable 
distance  came  to  a  little  hut  where  they  discovered  a 
young  woman  sitting  alone.  As  they  found  that  she 
understood  their  language,  they  brought  her  with  them 
to  the  tents.  On  examination  she  proved  to  be  one  of 
the  Western  Dog-ribbed  Indians,  who  had  been  taken 
prisoner  by  the  Athapuscow  Indians  in  the  summer  of 
1770,  and  in  the  following  summer,  when  they  were  near 
this  part,  she  had  eloped  from  them  with  an  intent  to 
return  to  her  own  country ;  but  the  distance  being  so 
great,  and  having,  after  she  was  taken  prisoner,  been 
carried  in  a  canoe  the  whole  way,  the  turnings  and 
windings  of  the  rivers  and  lakes  were  so  numerous  that 
she  forgot  the  track,  so  she  built  the  hut  in  which  we 
found  her  to  protect  her  from  the  weather  during  the 
winter,  and  here  she  had  lived  from  the  first  setting  in 
of  the  fall. 

From  her  account  of  the  moons  past  since  her 
elopement,  it  appeared  that  she  had  been  near  seven 
months  without  seeing  a  human  face,  during  all  which 
time  she  had  supported  herself  very  well  by  snar- 
ing partridges,  rabbits,  and  squirrels ;  she  had  also 
killed  two  or  three  beaver  and  some  porcupines.  The 
methods  practised  by  this  poor  creature  to  procure  a 
livelihood  were  truly  admirable,  and  are  great  proofs 
that  necessity  is  the  real  mother  of  invention.     When 


1771.  ^    WOMAN  ROBINSON  CRUSOE,  1 79 

the  few  deer-sinews  that  she  had  an  opportunity  of 
taking  with  her  were  all  expended  in  making  snares 
and  sewing  her  clothing,  she  had  nothing  to  supply  their 
place  but  the  sinews  of  the  rabbits'  legs  and  feet ;  these 
she  twisted  together  for  the  purpose  with  great  dexterity 
and  success.  The  rabbits,  etc.,  which  she  caught  in 
those  snares  not  only  furnished  her  with  a  comfortable 
subsistence,  but  of  the  skins  she  made  a  suit  of  neat 
and  warm  clothing  for  the  winter.  It  is  scarcely  pos- 
sible to  conceive  that  a  person  in  her  forlorn  situation 
could  be  so  composed  as  to  be  capable  of  contriving  or 
executing  anything  that  was  not  absolutely  necessary  to 
her  existence ;  but  there  were  sufficient  proofs  that  she 
had  extended  her  care  much  farther,  as  all  her  clothing, 
besides  being  calculated  for  real  service,  showed  great 
taste,  and  exhibited  no  little  variety  of  ornament.  The 
materials,  though  rude,  were  very  curiously  wrought, 
and  so  judiciously  placed  as  to  make  the  whole  of  her 
garb  have  a  very  pleasing,  though  rather  romantic 
appearance. 

Her  leisure  hours  from  hunting  had  been  employed 
in  twisting  the  inner  rind  or  bark  of  willows  into 
small  lines,  like  net-twine,  of  which  she  had  some 
hundred  fathoms  by  her ;  with  this  she  intended  to 
make  a  fishing-net  as  soon  as  the  spring  advanced. 
Five  or  six  inches  of  an  iron  hoop  made  into  a  knife, 
and  the  shank  of  an  arrow-head  of  iron,  which  served 
her  as  an  awl,  were  all  the  metals  this  poor  woman  had 
with  her  when  she  eloped,  and  with  these  implements 
she  had  made  herself  complete  snow-shoes  and  several 
other  articles.  Her  method  of  making  a  fire  was 
equally  singular  and  curious,  having  no  other  materials 
for  that  purpose   than   two   hard,  sulphurous   stones. 


I80  STORIES  OP  ADVENTURE  1771. 

These,  by  long  friction  and  hard  knocking,  produced  a 
few  sparks,  which  at  length  communicated  to  some 
touchwood ;  but  as  this  method  was  attended  with  great 
trouble,  and  not  always  with  success,  she  did  not  suffer 
her  fire  to  go  out  all  winter. 

The  singularity  of  the  circumstance,  the  comeliness  of 
her  person,  and  her  accomplishments,  occasioned  a  con- 
test between  several  of  the  Indians  of  my  party  who 
should  have  her  for  a  wife,  and  the  poor  girl  was  actu- 
ally won  and  lost  at  wrestling  by  near  half  a  score  of 
them  the  same  evening.  .  .  . 

From  the  middle  to  the  latter  end  of  March,  and, 
again,  in  the  beginning  of  April,  though  the  thaw 
was  not  general,  yet  in  the  middle  of  the  day  it  was 
very  considerable.  It  commonly  froze  hard  in  the 
nights,  and  the  young  men  took  the  advantage  of  the 
mornings,  when  the  snow  was  hard  crusted  over,  and 
ran  down  a  good  many  moose ;  for  in  those  situations  a 
man  with  a  good  pair  of  snow-shoes  will  scarcely  make 
any  impression  on  the  snow,  while  the  moose,  and  even 
the  deer,  will  break  through  it  at  every  step  up  to  the 
belly.  Notwithstanding  this,  however,  it  is  very  seldom 
that  the  Indians  attempt  to  run  deer  down.  The  moose 
are  so  tender-footed  and  so  short-winded  that  a  good 
runner  will  generally  tire  them  in  less  than  a  day,  and 
very  frequently  in  six  or  eight  hours ;  though  I  have 
known  some  of  the  Indians  continue  the  chase  for  two 
days  before  they  could  come  up  with  and  kill  the  game. 
On  those  occasions  the  Indians,  in  general,  only  take 
with  them  a  knife  or  bayonet,  and  a  little  bag  containing 
a  set  of  fire-tackle,  and  are  as  lightly  clothed  as  pos- 
sible ;  some  of  them  will  carry  a  bow  and  two  or  three 
arrows,  but  I  never  knew  any  of  them  to  take  a  gun, 


I77r.  INTERVIEWS.  l8l 

except  such  as  had  been  blown  or  bursted,  and  the  bar- 
rels cut  quite  short,  which,  when  reduced  to  the  least 
possible  size  to  be  capable  of  doing  any  service,  must 
be  too  great  a  weight  for  a  man  to  run  with  in  his  hand 
for  so  many  hours  together. 

When  the  poor  moose  are  incapable  of  making  far- 
ther speed  they  stand  and  keep  their  pursuers  at  bay 
with  their  head  and  forefeet,  in  the  use  of  which  they 
are  very  dexterous,  especially  the  latter,  so  that  the 
Indians  who  have  neither  a  bow  or  arrows,  nor  a  short 
gun  with  them,  are  generally  obliged  to  lash  their  knives 
or  bayonets  to  the  end  of  a  long  stick  and  stab  the 
moose  at  a  distance.  For  want  of  this  necessary  pre- 
caution some  of  the  boys  and  foolhardy  young  men 
who  have  attempted  to  rush  in  upon  them  have  fre- 
quently received  such  unlucky  blows  from  their  forefeet 
as  to  render  their  recovery  very  doubtful.  .  .  . 

When  two  parties  of  Indians  meet,  the  ceremonies 
which  pass  between  them  are  quite  different  from  those 
made  use  of  in  Europe  on  similar  occasions ;  for  when 
they  advance  within  twenty  or  thirty  yards  of  each 
other  they  make  a  full  halt,  and  in  general  lie  or  sit 
down  on  the  ground,  and  do  not  speak  for  some 
minutes.  At  length  one  of  them,  generally  an  elderly 
man,  if  any  be  in  company,  breaks  silence  by  acquaint- 
ing the  other  party  with  every  misfortune  that  has 
befallen  him  and  his  companions  from  the  last  time 
they  had  seen  or  heard  of  each  other,  and  also  of  all 
deaths  and  other  calamities  that  have  befallen  any 
other  Indians  during  the  same  period,  at  least  as  many 
particulars  as  have  come  to  his  knowledge.  When  the 
first  has  finished  his  oration  another  aged  orator,  if 
there  be  any,  belonging  to  the  other  party,  relates,  in 


1 82  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE,  1771. 

like  manner,  all  the  bad  news  that  has  come  to  his 
knowledge,  and  both  parties  never  fail  to  plead  poverty 
and  famine  on  all  occasions.  If  these  orations  contain 
any  news  that  in  the  least  affect  the  other  party  it  is 
not  long  before  some  of  them  begin  to  sigh  and  sob, 
and  soon  after  break  out  into  a  loud  cry,  which  is  gen- 
erally accompanied  by  most  of  the  grown  persons  of 
both  sexes,  and  sometimes  it  is  common  to  see  them  all, 
men,  women,  and  children,  in  one  universal  howl.  The 
young  girls  in  particular  are  often  very  obliging  on 
those  occasions,  for  I  never  remember  to  have  seen  a 
crying  match  but  the  greatest  part  of  the  company 
assisted,  although  some  of  them  had  no  other  reason 
for  it  but  that  of  seeing  their  companions  do  the  same. 
When  the  first  transports  of  grief  subside  they  advance 
by  degrees,  and  both  parties  mix  with  each  other,  the 
men  always  associating  with  the  men  and  the  women 
with  the  women.  If  they  have  any  tobacco  among 
them,  the  pipes  are  passed  round  pretty  freely,  and  the 
conversation  soon  becomes  general.  As  they  are  on 
their  first  meeting  acquainted  with  all  the  bad  news, 
they  have  by  this  time  nothing  left  but  good,  which  in 
general  has  so  far  the  predominance  over  the  former 
that  in  less  than  half  an  hour  nothing  but  smiles  and 
cheerfulness  are  to  be  seen  on  every  face,  and  if  they 
be  not  really  in  want  small  presents  of  provisions,  am- 
munition, and  other  articles  often  take  place,  sometimes 
by  way  of  a  gift,  but  more  frequently  by  way  of  trying 
whether  they  cannot  get  a  greater  present.  They  have 
but  few  diversions ;  the  chief  is  shooting  at  a  mark  with 
bow  and  arrows,  and  another  out-door  game,  called 
Holl,  which  in  some  measure  resembles  playing  with 
quoits,  only  it  is  done  with  short  clubs,  sharp  at  one  end. 


I77I.  AN  INDOOR   GAME.  1 83 

They  also  amuse  themselves  with  dancing,  which  is 
always  performed  in  the  night.  Besides  these  diver- 
sions they  have  another  simple  indoor  game,  which  is 
that  of  taking  a  bit  of  wood,  a  button,  or  any  other 
small  thing,  and  after  shifting  it  from  hand  to  hand 
several  times,  asking  their  antagonist,  "Which  hand  is  it 
in  ? "  When  playing  at  this  game,  which  only  admits 
of  two  persons,  each  of  them  have  ten,  fifteen,  or  twenty 
small  chips  of  wood  like  matches,  and  when  one  of  the 
players  guesses  right  he  takes  one  of  his  antagonist's 
sticks  and  lays  it  to  his  own,  and  he  that  first  gets  all 
the  sticks  from  the  other  in  that  manner  is  said  to  win 
the  game,  which  is  generally  for  a  single  load  of  powder 
and  shot,  an  arrow,  or  some  other  thing  of  inconsider- 
able value. 


IX. 

HUMBOLDT'S   TRAVELS. 

ONE  of  the  boys  said  that  Hearne's  Travels  seemed 
to  bring  them  quite  within  our  own  time.  The 
stately  great  quarto  is  dedicated  to  the  Hudson's  Bay 
Company,  and  in  his  holidays  last  summer  Bedford  had 
seen  packages  addressed  to  their  agents,  lying  at  the 
station  at  Montreal. 

Tom  Rising  said  that  in  the  preface  to  Hearne's 
travels  there  was  a  reference  to  a  lively  quarrel  between 
him  and  Mr.  Dalrymple. 

Col.  Ingham  said  that  Mr.  Dalrymple  was  one  of  the 
map-makers  who  stayed  at  home,  and  had  to  plot  or 
put  down  the  observations  of  the  men  who  travelled. 
Hearne's  latitudes  and  longitudes  did  not  prove  to  be 
quite  exact.  But,  as  to  the  main  point,  that  there  was 
a  Northern  Ocean  somewhere  near  the  parallel  of  70°, 
he  settled  that  matter. 

"  But  now,"  said  he,  "  you  begin  to  come  to  the  time 
when  geography  itself  becomes  a  science.  You  had 
better  look  into  some  of  the  magnificent  Humboldt 
books.  You  all  know  his  name,  and  what  he  did  is 
what  you  would  all  like  to  do.  Here  he  was,  a  young 
German  gentleman,  with  plenty  of  money  and  a  taste 
for  natural  history.  His  family  was  important  enough 
for  him  to  secure  good  recommendations  among  diplo- 
matists and  such  people.     He  had  the  favor  of  govern- 


l88i.  HUMBOLDT'S  TRAVELS,  1 85 

ments,  and   he   had   money  enough   to   go   where   he 
pleased. 

"  At  that  time,  almost  the  first  time,  the  Spanish  gov- 
ernment relaxed  a  Httle  the  secrecy  in  which  it  had  tried 
to  keep  all  the  world  ignorant  of  all  its  immense  pos- 
sessions. They  gave  Humboldt  in  1799  full  power  to 
go  where  he  chose  in  their  provinces  in  America  and 
the  East  Indies.  Humboldt  went,  and  spent  nearly  five 
years  in  America. 

"  He  was  in  Washington  in  1804,  and  saw  President 
Jefferson,  who  was  himself  a  bit  of  a  naturalist." 

The  boys  and  girls  got  down  different  volumes  of 
Humboldt's  Travels.  Some  of  them  are  very  elegant, 
and  there  is  one  atlas  of  prints  of  curious  things  he 
saw  in  Mexico  and  South  America,  in  which,  to  their 
joy,  they  found  the  origins  of  many  pictures  still  extant 
in  the  school  geographies. 

Laura  was  looking  at  his  Life.  "Why,  Uncle  Fritz, 
they  were  educated  by  our  dear  old  Campe." 

"Who  is  our  dear  old  Campe?"  said  Emma.  "I 
never  heard  of  him." 

"Campe  is  —  oh,  yes,  you  have,  only  you  forget  — 
he  is  the  man  who  made  the  little  Robinson  Crusoe." 

"Oh,  he  is  the  stone-axe  man  ?"  asked  Tom  Rising. 

Yes,  he  is  the  stone-axe  man.  What  the  children 
meant  was  this,  —  that  he  wrote  a  Robinson  Crusoe  which 
some  of  them  had  read,  in  which  Robinson  Crusoe  had 
a  stone  axe.  In  the  original  Robinson  Crusoe,  by  the 
Englishman,  Defoe,  Robinson  was  supplied  with  the 
necessaries  of  life  from  the  wreck  of  the  ship,  just  as 
"Crusoe  in  New  York"  was  supplied  from  the  old  junk- 
shop  which  had  that  name.  But  the  French  philosopher, 
Rousseau,  said  that  for  a  book  of  education  it  should 


1 86  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  i88l. 

show  how  a  man  would  fare  who  had  actually  nothing 
but  his  hands. 

So  this  German  minister  Campe,  who  had  been  a 
chaplain  in  the  army,  and  had  become  a  teacher  of 
youth,  in  the  hope  of  thus  amehorating  the  condition  of 
mankind,  wrote  his  famous  Robinson  the  Younger.  I 
believe  he  does  let  Robinson  have  a  jackknife  when  he 
is  thrown  upon  the  beach,  though  that  violates  the  prin- 
ciple. When  it  becomes  necessary  for  Robinson  to  cut 
down  trees  he  walks  along  on  the  beach,  and  there  he 
finds  a  stone  sharp  on  one  edge  and  in  the  shape  of  an 
axe-head.  What  is  more,  by  great  good  luck  the  water 
has  worn  through  a  hole  in  the  stone  just  where  the 
handle  of  the  axe  should  be  fitted.  So  Robinson  put  a 
handle  into  the  stone  and  went  on  his  way  conquering 
and  to  conquer. 

This  absurdity  of  the  accidental  axe-head  so  im- 
pressed the  children  that  they  always  called  the  book 
the  stone-axe  Robinson.  Still  it  was  a  book  they  liked 
to  take  down  from  the  Colonel's  shelves,  and  it  would 
be  a  good  book  now  to  put  in  public  libraries.  The 
catalogue  title  of  it  in  English  is  "  The  New  Robinson 
Crusoe."  In  Germany  it  is  better  known,  probably, 
than  the  original.  In  the  early  editions  it  takes  the 
form  of  a  conversation  between  a  father  and  his  children. 

Tom  Rising  said,  "  That  virtuous  boy,  who  asks  the 
priggish  questions,  must  have  been  Alexander  von  Hum- 
boldt's brother." 

"  And  the  stupid  boy,"  said  Bob,  "  who  hardly  knows 
the  difference  between  a  needle  and  a  fish-hook,  he  is 
Alexander  von  Humboldt  himself.  Stupid  boys,  if 
they  are  only  stupid  enough  to  be  neglected  by  the 
schoolmasters,  always  turn  out  remarkable  men." 


1799-  HUMBOLDT'S  TRAVELS.  187 

The  children  laughed  at  Bob's  frank  confession  of 
his  theory  of  life,  but  Col.  Ingham,  who  feared  that 
the  talk  was  becoming  heretical,  bade  Fanchon  read 
some  of  Humboldt's  own  accounts  of  his  notion  in 
travelling. 


HUMBOLDT'S  JOURNEY  TO  THE  EQUINOCTIAL 
REGIONS. 

From  my  earliest  youth  I  felt  an  ardent  desire  to 
travel  into  distant  regions  seldom  visited  by  Europeans. 
This  desire  is  characteristic  of  a  period  of  our  existence 
when  life  appears  an  unlimited  horizon,  and  when  we 
find  an  irresistible  attraction  in  the  impetuous  agitations 
of  the  mind  and  the  image  of  positive  danger.  Though 
educated  in  a  country  which  has  no  direct  communica- 
tion with  either  the  East  or  the  West  Indies ;  living 
amidst  mountains  remote  from  coasts,  and  celebrated 
for  their  numerous  mines,  I  felt  an  increasing  passion 
for  the  sea  and  distant  expeditions.  Objects  with  which 
we  are  acquainted  only  by  the  animated  narrations  of 
travellers  have  a  peculiar  charm  \  imagination  wanders 
with  delight  over  that  which  is  vague  and  undefined, 
and  the  pleasures  we  are  deprived  of  seem  to  possess  a 
fascinating  power,  compared  with  which  all  we  daily 
feel  in  the  narrow  circle  of  sedentary  life  appears  in- 
sipid.  The  taste  for  herborization,  the  study  of  geology, 
rapid  excursions  to  Holland,  England,  and  France,  with 
the  celebrated  Mr.  George  Forster,  who  had  the  hap- 
piness to  accompany  Captain  Cook  in  his  second  voyage 
round  the  globe,  contributed  to  give  a  determined  direc- 
tion to  the  plan  of  travels  which  I  had  formed  at 
eighteen  years  of  age.     No  longer  deluded  by  the  agita- 


1 88  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1799^ 

tions  of  a  wandering  life,  I  was  anxious  to  contem- 
plate Nature  in  all  her  variety  of  wild  and  stupendous 
scenery;  and  the  hope  of  collecting  some  facts  useful  to 
the  advancement  of  science  incessantly  impelled  my 
wishes  towards  the  luxuriant  regions  of  the  torrid  zone. 
As  personal  circumstances  then  prevented  me  from 
executing  the  projects  by  which  I  was  so  powerfully 
influenced,  I  had  leisure  to  prepare  myself  during  six 
years  for  the  observations  I  proposed  to  make  on  the 
New  Continent,  as  well  as  to  visit  different  parts  of 
Europe,  and  to  explore  the  lofty  chain  of  the  Alps,  the 
structure  of  which  I  might  afterwards  compare  with 
that  of  the  Andes  of  Quito  and  of  Peru.  .  .  . 

From  the  time  of  leaving  Graciosa  the  horizon  con- 
tinued so  hazy  that,  notwithstanding  the  considerable 
height  of  the  mountains  of  Canary,^  we  did  not  discover 
that  island  till  the  18th  of  June.  On  the  morning  of 
the  19th  we  discovered  the  point  of  Naga,  but  the 
peak  of  Teneriffe  was  still  invisible.  The  land,  ob- 
scured by  a  thick  mist,  presented  forms  that  were  vague 
and  confused.  As  we  approached  the  road  of  Santa 
Cruz  we  observed  that  the  mist,  driven  by  the  winds, 
drew  nearer  to  us.  The  sea  was  strongly  agitated,  as  it 
most  commonly  is  in  these  latitudes.  We  anchored 
after  several  soundings,  for  the  mist  was  so  thick  that 
we  could  scarcely  distinguish  objects  at  a  few  cables* 
distance,  but  at  the  moment  we  began  to  salute  the 
place  the  fog  was  instantly  dispelled.  The  peak  of 
Teyde  appeared  in  a  break  above  the  clouds,  and  the 
first  rays  of  the  sun,  which  had  not  yet  risen  on  us, 
illumined  the  summit  of  the  volcano.  We  hastened  to 
the  prow  of  the  vessel  to  behold  the  magnificent  spec- 

1  Isla  de  la  Gran  Canaria. 


1799-  ASCENDING   THE  PITON.  189 

tacle,  and  at  the  same  instant  we  saw  four  English  ves- 
sels lying  to  and  very  near  our  stern.  We  had  passed 
without  being  perceived,  and  the  same  mist  which  had 
concealed  the  peak  from  our  view  had  saved  us  from 
the  risk  of  being  carried  back  to  Europe.^ 

The  Pizarro  stood  in  as  close  as  possible  to  the  fort, 
to  be  under  its  protection.  It  was  on  this  shore  that 
in  the  landing  attempted  by  the  English  two  years  be- 
fore our  arrival,  in  July,  1797,  Admiral  Nelson  had  his 
arm  carried  off  by  a  cannon-ball.  .  .  . 

Though  the  captain  had  orders  to  stop  at  Teneriffe 
to  give  us  time  to  scale  the  summit  of  the  peak,  if  the 
snows  did  not  prevent  our  ascent,  we  received  notice,  on 
account  of  the  blockade  of  the  English  ships,  not  to  ex- 
pect a  longer  delay  than  four  or  five  days.  We  conse- 
quently hastened  our  departure  for  the  port  of  Orotava, 
which  is  situated  on  the  western  declivity  of  the  volcano, 
where  we  were  sure  of  finding  guides.  I  could  find  no 
one  at  Santa  Cruz  who  had  mounted  the  peak,  and  I  was 
not  surprised  at  this.  The  most  curious  objects  become 
less  interesting  in  proportion  as  they  are  near  to  us ; 
and  I  have  known  inhabitants  of  SchafThausen,  in  Swit- 
zerland, who  had  never  seen  the  fall  of  the  Rhine  but  at  a 
distance.  .  .  . 

About  three  in  the  morning,  by  the  sombrous  light 
of  a  few  pine-torches,  we  started  on  our  journey  to  the 
summit  of  the  Piton.  We  scaled  the  volcano  on  the 
northeast  side,  where  the  declivities  are  extremely  steep ; 
and  after  two  hours'  toil  we  reached  a  small  plain,  which, 
on  account  of  its  elevated  position,  bears  the  name  of 
Alta  Vista.  This  is  the  station  of  the  neveros,  those  na- 
tives whose  occupation  is  to  collect  ice  and  snow,  which 

1  For  this  was  in  time  of  war. 


190  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE,  1799. 

they  sell  in  the  neighboring  towns.  Their  mules,  better 
practised  in  climbing  mountains  than  those  hired  by 
travellers,  reach  Alta  Vista,  and  the  neveros  are  obliged 
to  transport  the  snow  to  that  place  on  their  backs.  We 
turned  to  the  right  to  examine  the  cavern  of  ice,  which  is 
at  the  elevation  of  1,728  toises,  consequently  below  the 
limit  of  perpetual  snows  in  this  zone.  Probably  the  cold 
which  prevails  in  this  cavern  is  owing  to  the  same  causes 
which  perpetuate  the  ice  in  the  crevices  of  Mount  Jura 
and  the  Apennines.  .  .  .  Day  was  beginning  to  dawn 
when  we  left  the  ice-cavern.  We  observed,  during  the 
twilight,  a  phenomenon  which  is  not  unusual  on  high 
mountains,  but  which  the  position  of  the  volcano  we  were 
scaling  rendered  very  striking.  A  layer  of  white  and 
fleecy  clouds  concealed  from  us  the  sight  of  the  ocean 
and  the  lower  region  of  the  island.  This  layer  did  not 
appear  above  eight  hundred  toises  high ;  the  clouds  were 
so  uniformly  spread,  and  kept  so  perfect  a  level,  that  they 
wore  the  appearance  of  a  vast  plain  covered  with  snow. 
The  colossal  pyramid  of  the  peak,  the  volcanic  summits 
of  Lancerota,  of  Forteventura,  and  the  isle  of  Palma, 
were  like  rocks  amidst  the  sea  of  vapors,  and  their  black 
tints  were  in  fine  contrast  with  the  whiteness  of  the 
clouds. 

While  we  were  climbing  over  the  broken  lavas  of  the 
Malpays,  we  perceived  a  very  curious  optical  phenom- 
enon, which  lasted  eight  minutes.  We  thought  we  saw 
on  the  east  side  small  rockets  thrown  into  the  air.  Lu- 
minous points,  about  seven  or  eight  degrees  above  the 
horizon,  appeared  first  to  move  in  a  vertical  direction ; 
but  the  motion  was  gradually  changed  into  a  horizontal 
oscillation.  Our  fellow-travellers,  our  guides  even,  were 
astonished  at  this  phenomenon,  without  our  having  made 


1799.  ASCENDING    THE  PITON.  19I 

any  remark  on  it  to  them.  We  thought,  at  first  sight, 
that  these  points  which  floated  in  the  air  indicated  some 
new  eruption  of  the  great  volcano  of  Lancerota,  for  we 
recollected  that  Bouguer  and  La  Condamine,  in  scaling 
the  volcano  of  Pichincha,  were  witnesses  of  the  eruption 
of  Cotopaxi.  But  the  illusion  soon  ceased,  and  we  found 
that  the  luminous  points  were  the  images  of  stars  mag- 
nified by  the  vapors.  .  .  . 

The  road,  which  we  were  obliged  to  clear  for  our- 
selves, across  the  Malpays,  was  extremely  fatiguing. 
The  ascent  is  steep,  and  the  blocks  of  lava  rolled  be- 
neath our  feet.  Unfortunately  the  listlessness  of  our 
guides  contributed  to  increase  the  difficulty  of  the  ascent. 
Unlike  the  guides  of  the  valley  of  Chamouni,  or  the 
nimble-footed  Guanches,  who  could,  it  is  asserted,  seize 
the  rabbit  or  the  wild  goat  in  its  course,  our  Canarian 
guides  were  models  of  the  phlegmatic.  They  had  wished 
to  persuade  us  on  the  preceding  evening  not  to  go  be- 
yond the  station  of  the  rocks.  Every  ten  minutes  they 
sat  down  to  rest  themselves,  and  when  unobserved  they 
threw  away  the  specimens  we  had  collected.  We  dis- 
covered at  length  that  none  of  them  had  ever  visited 
the  summit  of  the  volcano.  .  .  . 

We  had  yet  to  scale  the  steepest  part  of  the  mountain, 
the  Piton,  which  forms  the  summit.  The  slope  of  this 
small  cone,  covered  with  volcanic  ashes  and  fragments 
of  pumice-stone,  is  so  steep  that  it  would  have  been  al- 
most impossible  to  reach  the  top  had  we  not  ascended 
by  the  old  current  of  lava,  the  debris  of  which  have  re- 
sisted the  ravages  of  time.  We  ascended  the  Piton  by 
grasping  these  half-decomposed  scoriae,  which  often 
broke  in  our  hands. 

Vesuvius,  three  times  lower  than  the  peak  of  Teneriffe, 


192  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1779. 

is  terminated  by  a  cone  of  ashes  almost  three  times 
higher,  but  with  a  more  accessible  and  easy  slope.  Of 
all  the  volcanos  which  I  have  visited,  that  of  Jorullo,  in 
Mexico,  is  the  only  one  that  is  more  difficult  to  climb 
than  the  peak,  because  the  whole  mountain  is  covered 
with  loose  ashes. 

When  M'e  gained  the  summit  of  the  Piton,  we  were 
surprised  to  find  scarcely  room  to  seat  ourselves  con- 
veniently. We  were  stopped  by  a  small  circular  wall  of 
lava,  with  a  base  of  pitchstone,  which  concealed  from 
us  the  view  of  the  crater.  The  west  wind  blew  with  such 
violence  that  we  could  scarcely  stand.  It  was  eight  in  the 
morning,  and  we  suffered  severely  from  the  cold,  though 
the  thermometer  kept  a  little  above  freezing  point.  For 
a  long  time  we  had  been  accustomed  to  a  very  high  tem- 
perature, and  the  dry  wind  increased  the  feeling  of 
cold.  .  .  . 

Notwithstanding  the  heat  we  felt  in  our  feet  on  the 
edge  of  the  crater,  the  cone  of  ashes  remains  covered 
with  snow  during  several  months  in  winter.  The  cold 
and  violent  wind,  which  blew  from  the  time  of  sunrise, 
induced  us  to  seek  shelter  at  the  foot  of  the  Piton.  Our 
hands  and  faces  were  nearly  frozen,  while  our  boots  were 
burnt  by  the  soil  on  which  we  walked.  We  descended 
in  the  space  of  a  few  minutes  the  Sugar-Loaf  which  we 
had  scaled  with  so  much  toil,  and  this  rapidity  was  in 
some  respects  involuntary,  for  we  often  rolled  down  on 
the  ashes.  .  .  . 

As  we  approached  the  town  of  Orotava,  we  met  great 
flocks  of  canaries.  These  birds,  well  known  in  Europe, 
were  in  general  uniformly  green  ;  some,  however,  had  a 
yellow  tinge  on  their  backs  ;  their  note  was  the  same  as 
the  tame  canary.     The  yellow  canaries  are  a  variety, 


1799.  THE  SOUTHERN  CROSS.  1 93 

which  has  taken  birth  in  Europe,  and  those  we  saw  in 
cages  at  Orotava  and  Santa  Cruz  had  been  bought  at 
Cadiz,  and  in  other  parts  of  Spain.  But  of  all  the  birds 
of  the  Canary  Islands,  that  which  has  the  most  heart- 
soothing  song  is  unknown  in  Europe.  It  is  the  capirote, 
which  no  effort  has  succeeded  in  taming,  so  sacred  is  its 
soul  to  liberty.  I  have  stood  listening  in  admiration  of 
his  soft  and  melodious  warbling  in  a  garden  at  Orotava, 
but  I  have  never  seen  him  sufficiently  near  to  ascertain 
to  what  family  he  belongs.  .  .  . 


On  the  3d  and  4th  of  July,  we  crossed  that  part  of 
the  Atlantic  where  the  charts  indicate  the  bank  of  the 
maalstrom,  and  towards  night  we  altered  our  course 
to  avoid  the  danger,  the  existence  of  which  is  however 
doubted.  It  would  have  been,  perhaps,  as  prudent  to 
have  continued  our  course.  The  old  charts  are  filled 
with  rocks,  some  of  which  really  exist,  though  most  of 
them  are  merely  the  offspring  of  those  optical  illusions 
which  are  more  frequent  at  sea  than  in  inland  places. 

From  the  time  we  entered  the  torrid  zone  we  were 
never  weary  of  admiring  at  night  the  beauty  of  the 
southern  sky,  which  as  we  advanced  to  the  south  opened 
new  constellations  to  our  view.  The  pleasure  we  felt  in 
discovering  the  Southern  Cross  was  warmly  shared  by 
those  of  our  crew  who  had  visited  the  colonies.  In  the 
solitude  of  the  seas  we  hail  a  star  as  a  friend,  from 
whom  we  have  been  long  separated.  The  Portuguese 
and  the  Spaniards  are  peculiarly  susceptible  of  this 
feeling ;  a  religious  sentiment  attaches  them  to  a  con- 
stellation, the  form  of  which  recalls  the  sign  of  the  faith 
planted  by  their  ancestors  in  the  deserts  of  the  New 

13 


194  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1799. 

World.  The  two  stars  which  mark  the  summit  and  the 
foot  of  the  cross  having  nearly  the  same  right  ascension, 
it  follows  that  the  constellation  is  almost  perpendicular 
at  the  moment  when  it  passes  the  meridian.  This  circum- 
stance is  known  to  the  people  of  every  nation  situated 
beyond  the  tropics  or  in  the  Southern  Hemisphere.  It 
has  been  observed  at  what  hour  of  the  night,  in  different 
seasons,  the  cross  is  erect  or  inclined.  It  is  a  time-piece 
which  advances  very  regularly  four  minutes  a  day,  and 
no  other  group  of  stars  affords  to  the  naked  eye  an  ob- 
servation of  time  so  easily  made.  How  often  have  we 
heard  our  guides  exclaim  in  the  savannahs  of  Venezuela, 
or  in  the  deserts  extending  from  Lima  to  Truxillo, 
"  Midnight  is  past,  the  cross  begins  to  bend."  How 
often  these  words  remind  us  of  that  affecting  scene, 
where  Paul  and  Virginia,  seated  near  the  source  of  the 
river  Lataniers,  conversed  together  for  the  last  time, 
and  when  the  old  man,  at  the  sight  of  the  Southern 
Cross,  warns  them  that  it  is  time  to  separate.  .  .  . 


The  banks  of  the  Manzanares  are  very  pleasant,  and 
are  shaded  by  mimosas  and  other  trees  of  a  gigantic 
growth.  A  river,  the  temperature  of  which  in  the  sea- 
son of  the  floods,  descends  as  low  as  twenty-two  de- 
grees,^ while  the  air  is  at  thirty  and  thirty-three  degrees, 
is  an  inestimable  benefit  in  a  country  where  the  heat  is 
excessive  during  the  whole  year,  and  where  it  is  so 
agreeable  to  bathe  several  times  in  a  day.  The  children 
pass  a  considerable  part  of  their  lives  in  the  water ;  all 
the  inhabitants,  even  the  women  of  the  most  opulent 

1  Of  Reaumur's  thermometer.  Each  degree  is  equal  to  2^  of  our  ther- 
mometers, and  the  zero  is  our  32O. 


X779.  PEARL   OYSTERS.  I95 

families,  know  how  to  swim  ;  and  in  a  country  where  man 
is  so  near  the  state  of  nature,  one  of  the  first  questions 
asked  on  meeting  in  the  morning  is,  whether  the  water 
is  cooler  than  on  the  preceding  evening.  One  of  the 
modes  of  bathing  is  curious.  We  every  evening  visited 
a  family  in  the  suburb  of  the  Guayquerias.  In  a  fine 
moonlight  night,  chairs  were  placed  in  the  water ;  the 
men  and  women  were  lightly  dressed,  and  the  family 
and  strangers  assembled  in  the  river,  passed  some  hours 
in  smoking  cigars  and  talking,  according  to  the  custom 
of  the  country,  of  the  extreme  dryness  of  the  season,  of 
the  abundant  rains  in  the  neighboring  districts,  and  par- 
ticularly of  extravagances  of  which  the  ladies  of  Cumana 
accuse  those  of  the  Caracas  and  the  Havannah.  The 
company  were  under  no  apprehension  of  the  crocodiles, 
which  are  now  extremely  scarce,  and  which  approach 
men  without  attacking  them.  We  never  met  with  them 
in  the  Manzanares,  but  with  a  great  number  of  dolphins, 
which  sometimes  ascend  the  river  in  the  night,  and 
frighten  the  bathers  by  spouting  water. 

The  pearl-breeding  oyster  abounds  on  the  shoals 
which  extend  from  Cape  Paria  to  Cape  la  Vela.  It  is 
warmly  alleged  by  some  historians  that  the  natives  of 
America  were  unacquainted  with  the  luxury  of  pearls. 
The  first  Spaniards  who  landed  in  Terra  Firma  found 
the  savages  decked  with  pearl  necklaces  and  bracelets ; 
and  among  the  civilized  people  of  Mexico  and  Peru 
pearls  of  a  beautiful  form  were  extremely  sought  after. 
Benzoni  relates  the  adventure  of  one  Luigi  Lampagnano, 
to  whom  Charles  the  Fifth  granted  the  privilege  of  pro- 
ceeding with  five  carvels  to  the  coast  of  Cumana  to  fish 
for  pearls.  The  colonists  sent  him  back  with  this  bold 
message, — "that  the  emperor  was  too  liberal  of  what  was 


196  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1799. 

not  his  own,  and  he  had  no  right  to  dispose  of  the  oysters 
which  live  at  the  bottom  of  the  sea." 

Among  the  mulattoes  whose  huts  surround  the  salt 
lake  we  found  a  shoemaker  of  Castilian  descent.  He 
received  us  with  an  air  of  gravity  and  self-sufficiency 
which  in  those  countries  characterize  almost  all  persons 
who  are  conscious  of  possessing  some  particular  talent. 
He  was  employed  in  stretching  the  string  of  his  bow  and 
sharpening  his  arrows,  to  shoot  birds.  His  trade  of 
shoemaker  could  not  be  very  lucrative  in  a  country 
where  the  greater  part  of  the  inhabitants  go  barefooted, 
and  he  only  complained  that,  on  account  of  the  dearness 
of  European  gunpowder,  a  man  of  his  quality  was  re- 
duced to  use  the  same  weapons  as  the  Indians.  He 
was  the  sage  of  the  plain ;  he  understood  the  formation 
of  the  salt  by  the  influence  of  the  sun  and  full  moon  ; 
the  symptoms  of  earthquakes ;  the  marks  by  means  of 
which  mines  of  gold  and  silver  are  discovered,  and  the 
medicinal  plants,  which,  Hke  all  the  other  colonists  from 
Chili  to  California,  he  classified  into  hot  and  cold. 
Having  collected  the  traditions  of  his  country  he  gave 
us  some  curious  accounts  of  the  pearls  of  Cubagua,  ob- 
jects of  luxury  which  he  treated  with  the  utmost  con- 
tempt. To  show  us  how  familiar  to  him  were  the  sacred 
writings,  he  took  a  pride  in  reminding  us  that  Job  pre- 
ferred wisdom  to  the  pearls  of  the  Indies.  After  a  long 
discourse  on  the  emptiness  of  human  grandeur,  he  drew 
from  a  leathern  pouch  a  few  very  small  opaque  pearls, 
which  he  forced  us  to  accept,  enjoining  upon  us  at  the 
same  time  to  notice  on  our  tablets  that  a  poor  shoemaker 
of  Araya,  but  a  white  man,  and  of  noble  Castilian  race, 
had  been  enabled  to  give  us  something  which,  on  the 
other  side  of  the  sea,  was  sought  for  as  very  precious. 


1799-         MOUNTAINS  OF  NEW  ANDALUSIA.  197 

I  here  acquit  myself  of  the  promise  I  made  to  this 
worthy  man,  who  refused  to  accept  of  the  slightest  rec- 
ompense. 

When  a  traveller,  newly  arrived  from  Europe,  pene- 
trates for  the  first  time  into  the  forests  of  South  America, 
he  beholds  nature  under  an  unexpected  aspect.  He  feels 
at  every  step  that  he  is  not  on  the  confines,  but  in  the 
centre  of  the  torrid  zone ;  not  in  one  of  the  West  India 
Islands,  but  on  a  vast  continent  where  everything  is  gigan- 
tic, —  mountains,  rivers,  and  the  mass  of  vegetation.  If 
he  feels  deeply  the  beauty  of  picturesque  scenery,  he  can 
scarcely  distinguish  what  most  excites  his  admiration, 
the  deep  silence  of  these  solitudes,  the  individual  beauty 
and  contrast  of  forms,  or  that  vigor  and  freshness  of 
vegetable  life  which  characterize  the  climate  of  the 
tropics.  We  walked  for  some  hours  under  the  shade  of 
arcades  which  scarcely  admit  a  glimpse  of  the  sky ;  the 
latter  appeared  to  me  of  an  indigo-blue,  the  deeper  in 
shade  because  the  green  of  the  equinoctial  plants  is 
generally  of  a  stronger  hue,  with  somewhat  of  a  brown- 
ish tint.  In  this  place  we  were  struck,  for  the  first  time, 
with  the  sight  of  those  nests  in  the  shape  of  bottles  or 
small  bags  which  are  suspended  from  the  branches  of 
the  lowest  trees,  and  which  attest  the  wonderful  indus- 
try of  the  orioles,  which  mingle  their  warblings  with  the 
hoarse  cries  of  the  parrots  and  the  maccaws.  These  last, 
so  well  known  for  their  vivid  colors,  fly  only  in  pairs, 
while  the  real  parrots  wander  about  in  flocks  of  several 
hundreds.  A  man  must  have  lived  in  those  regions, 
particularly  in  the  hot  valleys  of  the  Andes,  to  conceive 
how  these  birds  sometimes  drown  with  their  voices  the 
noise  of  the  torrents  which  dash  down  from  rock  to 
rock.  .  .  . 


198  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE,  1799. 

The  road  skirted  with  bamboos  led  us  to  the  small 
village  of  San  Fernando,  situated  in  a  warm  place,  sur- 
rounded by  very  steep  rocks.  This  was  the  first  mission 
we  saw  in  America.  The  missionary  was  a  Capuchin, 
a  native  of  Aragon,  far  advanced  in  years,  but  strong 
and  healthy.  His  extreme  corpulency,  his  hilarity,  the 
interest  he  took  in  battles  and  sieges,  ill  accorded  with 
the  ideas  we  form  in  northern  countries  of  the  melan- 
choly reveries  and  the  contemplative  life  of  the  mission- 
aries. Though  extremely  busy  about  a  cow  which  was 
to  be  killed  next  day,  the  old  monk  received  us  with 
kindness  and  permitted  us  to  hang  up  our  hammocks  in 
a  gallery  of  his  house.  Seated,  without  doing  anything 
the  greater  part  of  the  day,  in  an  arm-chair  of  redwood, 
he  complained  bitterly  of  what  he  called  the  indolence 
and  ignorance  of  his  countrymen.  Our  missionary,  how- 
ever, seemed  well  satisfied  with  his  situation  ;  he  treated 
the  Indians  with  mildness,  he  beheld  his  mission  pros- 
per, and  he  praised  with  enthusiasm  the  waters,  the 
bananas,  and  the  dairy  produce  of  the  district.  The 
sight  of  our  instruments,  our  books,  and  our  dried  plants 
drew  from  him  a  sarcastic  smile,  and  he  acknowledged, 
with  a  naivete  peculiar  to  the  inhabitants  of  those 
countries  that,  of  all  the  enjoyments  of  life,  not  except- 
ing sleep,  none  were  comparable  to  the  pleasure  of 
eating  good  beef;  thus  does  sensuality  obtain  an  as- 
cendency where  there  is  no  occupation  for  the  mind. 

The  days  we  passed  at  the  Capuchin  convent  in  the 
mountains  of  Caripe  ghded  swiftly  away,  though  our 
manner  of  living  was  simple  and  uniform.  From  sun- 
rise to  nightfall  we  traversed  the  forests  and  neighboring 
mountains  to  collect  plants.  When  the  winter  rains 
prevented  us  from  undertaking  distant  expeditions  we 


BARON   HUMBOLDT 


1799-  I^HE   CONVENT  OF  CARIPE.  1 99 

visited  the  huts  of  the  Indians  or  those  assemblies  in 
which  the  alcaldes  every  evening  arrange  the  labors  of 
the  succeeding  day.  We  returned  to  the  monastery  only 
when  the  sound  of  the  bell  called  us  to  the  refectory  to 
share  the  repast  of  the  missionaries.  Sometimes,  eariy 
in  the  morning,  we  followed  them  to  the  church,  to  at- 
tend the  doctrma,  —  that  is  to  say,  the  religious  instruc- 
tion of  the  Indians.  It  was  rather  a  difficult  task  to 
explain  dogmas  to  these  neophytes,  especially  those  who 
had  but  a  very  imperfect  knowledge  of  the  Spanish  lan- 
guage. On  the  other  hand,  the  monks  are  yet  almost 
totally  ignorant  of  the  language  of  the  Chaymas ;  and 
the  resembling  sounds  confuse  the  poor  Indians,  and 
suggest  to  them  the  most  whimsical  ideas.  I  saw  a 
missionary  laboring  earnestly  to  prove  that  inferno,  hell, 
and  invierno,  winter,  were  not  one  and  the  same  thing. 
The  Chaymas  are  acquainted  with  no  other  winter  than 
the  season  of  rains,  and  consequently  they  imagined  the 
"  hell  of  the  whites  "  to  be  a  place  where  the  wicked  are 
exposed  to  frequent  showers.  The  missionary  harangued 
to  no  purpose ;  it  was  impossible  to  efface  the  first  im- 
pression produced  by  the  analogy  between  the  two  con- 
sonants. He  could  not  separate  in  the  mind  of  the 
neophyte  the  ideas  of  rain  and  hell.  The  same  men  who 
manifest  quickness  of  intellect,  and  who  are  tolerably 
well  acquainted  with  the  Spanish,  were  unable  to  connect 
their  ideas,  when,  in  our  excursions  around  the  convent, 
we  put  questions  to  them  through  the  intervention  of 
the  monks.  They  were  made  to  affirm  or  deny  whatever 
the  monks  pleased ;  and  that  wily  civility,  to  which  the 
least  cultivated  Indian  is  no  stranger,  induced  them  some- 
times to  give  to  their  answers  the  turn  that  seemed  to 
be  suggested  by  our  questions.    Travellers  cannot  be 


200  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1799. 

enough  on  their  guard  against  this  officious  assent  when 
they  seek  to  confirm  their  own  opinions  by  the  testimony 
of  the  natives.  To  put  an  Indian  alcalde  to  the  proof,  I 
asked  him  one  day  whether  he  did  not  think  the  little 
river  of  Caripe,  which  issues  from  the  cavern  of  the 
Guacharo,  returned  into  it  on  the  opposite  side  by  some 
unknown  entrance  after  having  ascended  the  slope  of 
the  mountain.  The  Indian  seemed  greatly  to  reflect  on 
the  subject,  and  then  answered,  by  way  of  supporting 
my  hypothesis,  "  How  else,  if  it  were  not  so,  would  there 
always  be  water  in  the  bed  of  the  river,  at  the  mouth  of 
the  cavern  ? " 

We  remained  a  month  longer  at  Cumana,  employing 
ourselves  in  the  necessary  preparations  for  our  proposed 
visit  to  the  Orinoco  and  the  Rio  Negro.  We  had  to 
choose  such  instruments  as  could  be  most  easily  trans- 
ported in  narrow  boats,  and  to  engage  guides  for  an  in- 
land journey  of  ten  months,  across  a  country  without 
communication  with  the  coasts.  The  astronomical  de- 
termination of  places  being  the  most  important  object 
of  this  undertaking,  I  felt  desirous  not  to  miss  the  ob- 
servation of  an  eclipse  of  the  sun  which  was  to  be 
visible  at  the  end  of  October ;  and  in  consequence  I 
preferred  remaining  till  that  period  at  Cumana,  where 
the  sky  is  generally  clear  and  serene.  It  was  now  too 
late  to  reach  the  banks  of  the  Orinoco  before  October, 
and  the  high  valleys  of  Caracas  promised  less  favorable 
opportunities,  on  account  of  the  vapors  which  accumu- 
late round  the  neighboring  mountains.  I  was,  however, 
near  being  compelled  by  a  deplorable  occurrence  to  re- 
nounce, or  at  least  to  delay  for  a  long  time,  my  journey 
to  the  Orinoco.  On  the  27th  of  October,  the  day  before 
the  eclipse,  we  went  as  usual  to  take  the  air  on  the  shore 


1799-  CUM  ANA,  20I 

of  the  gulf.  It  was  eight  in  the  evening,  and  the  breeze 
was  not  yet  stirring.  The  sky  was  cloudy,  and  during  a 
dead  calm  it  was  excessively  hot. 

We  crossed  the  beach  which  separates  the  suburb  of 
the  Guayqueria  Indians  from  the  embarcadero.  I  heard 
some  one  walking  behind  us,  and  on  turning  I  saw  a 
tall  man  of  the  color  of  the  Zjimbos,  naked  to  the  waist. 
He  held  almost  over  my  head  a  great  stick  of  palm-tree 
wood,  enlarged  to  the  end  like  a  club.  I  avoided  the 
stroke  by  leaping  towards  the  left;  but  M.  Bonpland, 
who  walked  on  my  right,  was  less  fortunate.  He  did 
not  see  the  Zambo  so  soon  as  I  did,  and  received  a 
stroke  above  the  temple,  which  levelled  him  with  the 
ground.  We  were  alone,  without  arms,  half  a  league 
from  any  habitation,  on  a  vast  plain  bounded  by  the 
sea.  The  Zambo,  instead  of  attacking  me,  moved  off 
slowly  to  pick  up  M.  Bonpland's  hat,  which,  having 
somewhat  deadened  the  violence  of  the  blow,  had  fzkUen 
off  and  lay  at  some  distance.  Alarmed  at  seeing  my 
companion  on  the  ground,  and  for  some  moments  sense- 
less, I  thought  of  him  only.  I  helped  him  to  raise  him- 
self, and  pain  and  anger  doubled  his  strength.  We  ran 
towards  the  Zambo,  who,  either  from  cowardice,  common 
enough  in  people  of  this  caste,  or  because  he  perceived 
at  a  distance  some  men  on  the  beach,  did  not  wait  for 
us,  but  ran  off  in  the  direction  of  the  Tunal,  a  little 
thicket  of  cactus.  He  chanced  to  fall  in  running,  and 
M.  Bonpland,  who  reached  him  first,  seized  him  round 
the  body.  The  Zambo  drew  a  large  knife ;  and  in  this 
unequal  struggle  we  should  infallibly  have  been  wounded 
if  some  Biscayan  merchants,  who  were  taking  the  air  on 
the  beach,  had  not  come  to  our  assistance.  The  Zambo, 
seeing  himself  surrounded,  thought  no  longer  of  defence. 


202  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1799. 

He  again  ran  away,  and  we  pursued  him  through  the 
thorny  cactuses.  At  length,  tired  out,  he  took  shelter 
in  a  cow-house,  whence  he  suffered  himself  to  be  quietly 
led  to  prison.  M.  Bonpland  was  seized  with  fever 
during  the  night ;  but,  being  endowed  with  great  energy 
and  fortitude,  and  possessing  that  cheerful  disposition 
which  is  one  of  the  most  precious  gifts  of  nature,  he 
continued  his  labors  the  next  day.  The  inhabitants  of 
Cumana  showed  us  the  kindest  interest.  It  was  ascer- 
tained that  the  Zambo  was  a  native  of  one  of  the  Indian 
villages  which  surround  the  great  lake  of  Maracaibo. 
He  had  served  on  board  a  privateer  belonging  to  the 
Island  of  St.  Domingo,  and  in  consequence  of  a  quarrel 
with  the  captain  he  had  been  left  on  the  coast  of 
Cumana,  when  the  ship  quitted  the  port.  Having  seen 
the  signal  which  we  had  fixed  up  for  the  purpose  of 
observing  the  height  of  the  tides,  he  had  watched  the 
moment  when  he  could  attack  us  on  the  beach.  But 
why,  after  knocking  one  of  us  down,  was  he  satisfied 
with  simply  stealing  a  hat?  In  an  examination  he 
underwent  his  answers  were  so  confused  and  stupid 
that  it  was  impossible  to  clear  up  our  doubts.  Some- 
times he  maintained  that  his  intention  was  not  to  rob 
us ;  but  that,  irritated  by  the  bad  treatment  he  had 
suffered  on  board  the  privateer  of  St.  Domingo,  he  could 
not  resist  the  desire  of  attacking  us  when  he  heard 
us  speak  French.  Justice  is  so  tardy  in  this  country 
that  prisoners,  of  whom  the  jail  is  full,  may  remain 
seven  or  eight  years  without  being  brought  to  trial ;  we 
learned,  therefore,  with  some  satisfaction,  that  a  few 
days  after  our  departure  from  Cumana  the  Zambo  had 
succeeded  in  breaking  out  of  the  castle. 

We  quitted  the  shores  of  Cumana  as  if  it  had  been 


1799-  AROMATIC  SHRUBS.  203 

our  home.  This  was  the  first  land  we  had  trodden  in  a 
zone  towards  which  my  thoughts  had  been  directed  from 
earliest  youth.  There  is  a  powerful  charm  in  the  im- 
pression produced  by  the  scenery  and  climate  of  these 
regions,  and  after  an  abode  of  a  few  months  we  seemed 
to  have  lived  there  during  a  long  succession  of  years. 

AROMATIC   SHRUBS. 

We  spent  a  long  time  in  examining  the  fine  resinous 
and  fragrant  plants  of  the  Pejual.  Wandering  in  this 
thick  wood  we  suddenly  found  ourselves  enveloped  in  a 
thick  mist ;  the  compass  alone  could  guide  us ;  but  in 
advancing  northward  we  were  in  danger  at  every  step 
of  finding  ourselves  on  the  bank  of  that  enormous  wall 
of  rocks,  which  descends  perpendicularly  to  the  depth  of 
six  thousand  feet  towards  the  sea.  We  were  obliged  to 
halt.  Surrounded  by  clouds  sweeping  the  ground,  we 
began  to  doubt  whether  we  should  reach  the  eastern 
peak  before  night.  Happily  the  negroes  who  carried 
our  water  and  provisions  rejoined  us,  and  we  resolved 
to  take  some  refreshment.  Our  repast  did  not  last  long. 
Possibly  the  Capuchin  brother  had  not  thought  of  the 
great  number  of  persons  who  accompanied  us,  or  per- 
haps the  slaves  had  made  free  with  our  provisions  on 
the  way ;  be  that  as  it  may,  we  found  nothing  but  olives 
and  scarcely  any  bread.  Horace,  in  his  retreat  at 
Tibur,  never  boasted  of  a  repast  more  light  and  frugal ; 
but  olives,  which  might  have  offered  a  satisfactory  meal 
to  a  poet,  devoted  to  study,  and  leading  a  sedentary 
life,  appeared  an  aliment  by  no  means  substantial  for 
travellers  climbing  mountains.  We  had  watched  the 
greater  part  of  the  night,  and  we  walked  for  nine  hours 


204  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1799. 

without  finding  a  single  opening.  Our  guides  were  dis- 
couraged ;  they  wished  to  go  back,  and  we  had  great 
difficulty  in  preventing  them.  We  sent  oif  half  our 
servants  with  orders  to  hasten  the  next  morning  to 
meet  us,  not  with  olives,  but  with  salt  beef. 

COW-TREE. 

In  returning  from  Porto  Cabello  to  Aragua,  we 
stopped  at  the  farm  of  Barbula,  near  which  a  new 
road  to  Valencia  is  in  the  course  of  construction.  We 
had  heard  several  weeks  before  of  a  tree,  the  sap  of 
which  is  a  nourishing  milk.  It  is  called  the  cow-tree, 
and  we  were  assured  that  the  negroes  of  the  farm,  who 
drink  plentifully  of  this  vegetable  milk,  consider  it  a 
wholesome  aliment.  It  was  offered  to  us  in  a  calabash. 
We  drank  considerable  quantities  of  it  in  the  evening 
before  we  went  to  bed,  and  very  early  in  the  morning, 
without  feeling  the  least  injurious  effect.  Among  the 
great  number  of  curious  phenomena  which  I  have  ob- 
served in  the  course  of  my  travels,  I  confess  there  are 
few  that  have  made  so  powerful  an  impression  on  me 
as  the  aspect  of  the  cow-tree.  It  is  at  the  rising  of  the 
sun  that  this  vegetable  fountain  is  most  abundant.  The 
negroes  and  natives  are  seen  hastening  from  all  quar- 
ters, furnished  with  large  bowls  to  receive  the  milk, 
which  grows  yellow  and  thickens  at  the  surface ;  some 
empty  their  bowls  under  the  tree  itself,  others  carry  the 
juice  home  to  their  children. 

HOWLING  MONKEYS. 

Before  I  trace  the  scenery  of  the  llanos  I  will  briefly 
describe    the    road    we    took    from    Nueva  Valencia, 


-1799.  HOWLING  MONKEYS.  205 

to  the  little  village  of  Ortiz,  at  the  entrance  of  the 
steppes.  We  left  the  valley  of  Aragua  on  the  6th  of 
March  before  sunrise.  We  passed  over  a  plain  richly- 
cultivated,  keeping  along  the  southwest  side,  by  the 
lake  of  Valencia,  and  crossing  the  ground  left  uncovered 
by  the  waters  of  the  lake.  We  were  never  weary  of 
admiring  the  fertility  of  the  soil,  covered  with  cala- 
bashes, water-melons,  and  plantains.  The  rising  of  the 
sun  was  announced  by  the  distant  noise  of  the  howling 
monkeys.  Approaching  a  group  of  trees  which  rise  in 
the  midst  of  the  plain,  between  those  parts  which  were 
anciently  the  islets  of  Don  Pedro  and  La  Negra,  we  saw 
numerous  bands  of  Araguatos  moving  as  in  procession, 
and  very  slowly,  from  one  tree  to  another.  A  male  was 
followed  by  a  great  number  of  females,  several  of  the 
latter  carrying  their  young  on  their  shoulders.  The 
howling  monkeys,  which  live  in  society  in  different  parts 
of  America,  everywhere  resemble  each  other  in  their 
manners,  though  the  species  are  not  always  the  same. 
Wherever  the  branches  of  the  neighboring  trees  do  not 
touch  each  other,  the  male  who  leads  the  party  suspends 
himself  by  the  callous  part  of  his  tail,  and,  letting  fall 
the  rest  of  his  body,  swings  himself  till  he  reaches  the 
neighboring  branch.  The  whole  file  performs  the  same 
movements  in  the  same  spot.  It  is  almost  superfluous 
to  add  how  dubious  is  the  assertion  of  Ulloa,  and  so 
many  otherwise  well-informed  travellers,  according  to 
whom  the  monkeys  with  a  prehensile  tail  form  a  sort  of 
chain,  in  order  to  reach  the  opposite  side  of  a  river. 
We  had  opportunities  during  five  years  of  observing 
thousands  of  these  animals,  and  for  this  very  reason  we 
place  no  confidence  in  statements  possibly  invented  by 
Europeans  themselves,  though  repeated  by  the  Indians 


206  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1799. 

of  the  missions,  as  if  they  had  been  transmitted  to  them 
by  their  fathers.  Man,  the  most  remote  from  civiliza- 
tion, enjoys  the  astonishment  he  excites  in  relating  the 
marvels  of  his  country.  He  says  he  has  seen  what  he 
imagines  may  have  been  seen  by  another.  Every  savage 
is  a  hunter,  and  the  stories  of  hunters  borrow  from 
imagination  in  proportion  as  the  animals  of  which  they 
boast  the  artifices  are  endowed  with  a  high  degree  of 
intelligence. 

FINDING  WATER. 

After  having  passed  two  weary  nights  on  horseback, 
and  having  sought  in  vain  by  day  for  some  shelter  from 
the  heat  of  the  sun,  we  arrived  before  night  at  the  little 
Hato  del  Caymen,^  called  also  La  Guadaloupe.  It  was 
a  solitary  house  in  the  steppes,  surrounded  by  a  few 
small  huts  covered  with  reeds  and  skins.  The  cattle, 
oxen,  horses,  and  mules  are  not  penned,  but  wander 
freely  over  an  extent  of  several  square  leagues.  There 
is  nowhere  any  enclosure ;  men,  naked  to  the  waist  and 
armed  with  a  lance,  ride  over  the  savannahs  to  inspect 
the  animals,  bringing  back  those  that  wander  too  far 
from  the  pastures  of  the  farm,  and  branding  all  that  do 
not  bear  the  mark  of  their  proprietor.  These  mulattoes, 
who  are  known  by  the  name  oipeones  Uaneros^  are  partly 
freedmen  and  partly  slaves.  Their  food  is  meat  dried 
in  the  air  and  a  little  salted,  and  of  this  even  their 
horses  sometimes  partake.  Being  always  in  the  saddle, 
they  fancy  they  cannot  make  the  slightest  exertion  on 
foot.  We  found  an  old  negro  slave,  who  managed  the 
farm  in  the  absence  of  his  master.  He  told  us  of  herds 
of  several   thousand   cows  that  were  grazing  on  the 

1  "  Farm  of  the  Alligator." 


1799-  FINDING    WATER.  20/ 

Steppes,  yet  we  asked  in  vain  for  a  bowl  of  milk.  We 
were  offered  in  a  calabash  some  yellow,  muddy,  and 
fetid  water  drawn  from  a  neighboring  pool.  The  indo- 
lence of  the  inhabitants  of  the  llanos  is  such  that  they 
do  not  dig  wells  though  they  know  that  almost  every- 
where, at  ten  feet  deep,  fine  springs  are  found  in  a 
stratum  of  red  sandstone.  After  suffering  one  half  the 
year  from  the  effects  of  inundations,  they  quietly  resign 
themselves  during  the  other  half  to  the  most  distressing 
deprivation  of  water.  The  old  negro  advised  us  to 
cover  the  cup  with  a  linen  cloth  and  drink  as  through  a 
filter,  that  we  might  not  be  incommoded  by  the  smell, 
and  might  swallow  less  of  the  yellowish  mud  deposited  in 
the  water.  We  did  not  then  think  that  we  should  after- 
wards be  forced  during  whole  months  to  have  recourse 
to  this  expedient.  The  waters  of  the  Orinoco  are  always 
loaded  with  earthy  particles ;  they  are  even  putrid,  where 
dead  bodies  of  alligators  are  found  in  the  creeks,  lying 
on  beds  of  sand,  or  half-buried  in  the  mud. 

No  sooner  were  our  instruments  safely  placed  than 
our  mules  were  set  at  liberty  to  go,  as  they  say  here, 
"  to  search  for  water."  There  are  little  pools  round  the 
farm  which  the  animals  find,  guided  by  their  instinct,  by 
the  view  of  some  scattered  tufts  of  mauritia,  and  by  the 
sense  of  humid  coolness  caused  by  little  currents  of  air 
amid  an  atmosphere  which  to  us  appears  calm  and  tran- 
quil. When  the  pools  of  water  are  far  distant,  and  the 
people  of  the  farm  are  too  lazy  to  lead  the  cattle  to 
these  natural  watering  places,  they  confine  them  during 
five  or  six  hours  in  a  very  hot  stable  before  they  let 
them  loose.  Excess  of  thirst  then  augments  their  saga- 
city, sharpening  as  it  were  their  senses  and  their  instinct. 
No  sooner  is  the  stable  opened  than  the  horses  and 


208  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1799. 

mules  rush  into  the  savannahs.  With  upraised  tails 
and  heads  thrown  back  they  run  against  the  wind,  stop- 
ping from  time  to  time  as  if  exploring  space  \  they  follow 
less  the  impressions  of  sight  than  of  smell,  and  at  length 
announce,  by  prolonged  neighings,  that  there  is  water 
in  the  direction  of  their  course. 

ELECTRICAL   EELS. 

Having  obtained  very  uncertain  results  from  an 
electric  eel  which  had  been  brought  to  us  alive,  but 
much  enfeebled,  we  repaired  to  the  Cano  de  Bera,  to 
make  our  experiments  in  the  open  air,  and  at  the  edge 
of  the  water.  The  Indians  told  us  that  they  would 
"  fish  with  horses  "  (embarbascar  con  caballos).^  We 
found  it  difficult  to  form  an  idea  of  this  extraordinary 
manner  of  fishing,  but  we  soon  saw  our  guides  return 
from  the  savannah,  which  they  had  been  scouring  for 
wild  horses  and  mules.  They  brought  about  thirty  with 
them,  which  they  forced  to  enter  the  pool.  The  ex- 
traordinary noise  caused  by  the  horses'  hoofs  makes  the 
fish  issue  from  the  mud,  and  excites  them  to  the  attack. 
These  yellowish  and  livid  eels,  resembling  aquatic  ser- 
pents, swim  on  the  surface  of  the  water,  and  crowd 
under  the  bellies  of  the  horses.  A  contest  between 
animals  of  so  different  an  organization  presents  a  very 
striking  spectacle.  The  Indians,  provided  with  har- 
poons and  long,  slender  reeds,  surround  the  pool  closely, 
and  some  climb  up  the  trees,  the  branches  of  which  ex- 
tend over  the  water.  By  their  wild  cries  and  the  length 
of  their  reeds  they  prevent  the  horses  from  running 
away  and  reaching  the  bank  of  the  pool.     The  eels, 

1  Excite  the  fish  with  horses. 


1799-  CROCODILES.  209 

Stunned  by  the  noise,  defend  themselves  by  the  repeated 
discharge  of  their  electric  batteries.  For  a  long  interval 
they  seem  likely  to  prove  victorious.  Several  horses 
sink  beneath  the  violence  of  the  invisible  strokes  which 
they  receive  from  all  sides,  in  organs  the  most  essential 
to  life,  and,  stunned  by  the  force  and  frequency  of  the 
shocks,  they  disappear  under  the  water.  In  less  than 
five  minutes  two  of  our  horses  were  drowned.  The  eel, 
being  five  feet  long,  and  pressing  itself  against  the 
belly  of  the  horses,  makes  a  discharge  along  the  whole 
extent  of  its  electric  organ.  It  is  natural  that  the  effect 
felt  by  the  horses  should  be  more  powerful  than  that 
produced  upon  man  by  the  touch  of  the  same  fish  at 
only  one  of  his  extremities.  The  horses  are  probably 
not  killed,  but  only  stunned.  They  are  drowned  from 
the  impossibility  of  rising  amid  the  prolonged  struggle 
between  the  other  horses  and  the  eels. 

We  had  little  doubt  that  the  fishing  would  end  by 
killing  successively  all  the  animals  engaged,  but  by  de- 
grees the  impetuosity  of  this  unequal  combat  diminished 
and  the  wearied  gymnoti  dispersed.  They  require  a 
long  rest  and  abundant  nourishment  to  repair  the  gal- 
vanic force  which  they  have  lost.  In  a  few  minutes  we 
had  five  large  eels,  most  of  which  were  but  slightly 
wounded. 

CROCODILES. 

The  Indians  told  us  that  at  San  Fernando  scarcely  a 
year  passes  without  two  or  three  grown-up  persons,  par- 
ticularly women  who  fetch  water  from  the  river,  being 
drowned  by  the  crocodiles.  They  related  to  us  the 
history  of  a  young  girl  of  Uritucu,  who,  by  singular 
intrepidity  and  presence  of  mind,  saved  herself  from  the 

14 


2IO  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1799. 

jaws  of  a  crocodile.  When  she  felt  herself  seized  she 
sought  the  eyes  of  the  animal  and  plunged  her  fingers 
into  them  with  such  violence  that  the  pain  forced  the 
crocodile  to  let  her  go,  after  having  bitten  off  the  lower 
part  of  her  left  arm.  The  girl,  notwithstanding  the 
enormous  quantity  of  blood  she  lost,  reached  the  shore, 
swimming  with  the  hand  that  still  remained  to  her.  In 
those  desert  countries,  where  man  is  ever  wrestling  with 
nature,  discourse  daily  turns  on  the  best  means  that 
may  be  employed  to  escape  from  a  tiger,  a  boa,  or  a 
crocodile ;  every  one  prepares  himself  in  some  sort  for 
the  dangers  that  may  await  him.  "  I  knew,"  said  the 
young  girl  of  Uritucu  coolly,  "  that  the  cayman  lets  go 
his  hold  if  you  push  your  fingers  into  his  eyes."  Long 
after  my  return  to  Europe  I  learned  that  in  the  interior 
of  Africa  the  negroes  know  and  practise  the  same 
means  of  defence.  Who  does  not  recollect,  with  lively 
interest,  Isaac,  the  guide  of  the  unfortunate  Mungo 
Park,  who  was  seized  twice  by  a  crocodile,  and  twice 
escaped  from  the  jaws  of  the  monster,  having  succeeded 
in  thrusting  his  fingers  into  the  creature's  eyes  while 
under  water. 

JAGUARS. 

Near  the  Joval  nature  assumes  an  awful  and  ex- 
tremely wild  aspect.  We  there  saw  the  largest  jaguar 
we  had  ever  met  with.  The  natives  themselves  were 
astonished  at  its  prodigious  length,  which  surpassed 
that  of  any  Bengal  tiger  I  had  ever  seen  in  the  mu- 
seums of  Europe.  The  animal  lay  stretched  beneath 
the  shade  of  a  large  zamang.^  It  had  just  killed  a 
chiguire,  but  had  not  yet  touched  its  prey,  on  which  it 

*  A  species  of  mimosa. 


1799-  JAGUARS.  211 

kept  one  of  its  paws.  The  vultures  were  assembled  in 
great  numbers  to  devour  the  remains  of  the  jaguar's  re- 
past. They  presented  the  most  curious  spectacle ;  by  a 
singular  mixture  of  boldness  and  timidity  they  advanced 
within  the  distance  of  two  feet  from  the  animal,  but  at 
the  least  movement  he  made  they  drew  back.  In  order 
to  observe  more  nearly  the  manners  of  these  creatures 
we  went  into  the  little  skiif  that  accompanied  our  canoe. 
Tigers  very  rarely  attack  boats  by  swimming  to  them, 
and  never  but  when  their  ferocity  is  heightened  by  a 
long  privation  of  food.  The  noise  of  our  oars  led  the 
animal  to  rise  slowly  and  hide  itself  behind  the  bushes 
that  bordered  the  shore.  The  vultures  tried  to  profit 
by  this  moment  of  absence  to  devour  the  chiguire,  but 
the  tiger  leaped  into  the  midst  of  them,  and  in  a  fit  of 
rage,  expressed  by  his  gait  and  the  movement  of  his  tail, 
carried  off  his  prey  to  the  forest. 

We  passed  the  night  in  the  open  air,  in  a  plantation,  the 
proprietor  of  which  employed  himself  in  hunting  tigers. 
He  wore  scarcely  any  clothing,  and  was  of  a  dark  brown 
complexion  like  a  Zambo.  This  did  not  prevent  his 
classing  himself  amongst  the  whites.  He  called  his 
wife  and  daughter  Dona  Isabella  and  Dona  Manuela. 
Without  having  ever  quitted  the  banks  of  the  Apure,  he 
took  a  lively  interest  in  the  news  of  Madrid,  enquiring 
eagerly  respecting  "  those  never-ending  wars  and  every- 
thing down  yonder"  (todas  las  cosas  de  alia).  He  knew, 
he  said,  that  the  king  was  soon  to  come  and  visit  "  the 
grandees  of  the  country  of  Caracas,"  but  he  added  with 
some  pleasantry,  "as  the  people  of  the  court  can  eat 
only  wheaten  bread,  they  will  never  pass  beyond  the 
town  of  Victoria,  and  we  shall  not  see  them  here."  I 
had  brought  with  me  a  chiguire,  which  I  had  intended 


212  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1799. 

to  have  roasted,  but  our  host  assured  us  that  such  *'  In- 
dian game  "  was  not  food  fit  for  "  nos  otros  caballeros 
blancos "  (white  gentlemen  like  ourselves  and  him). 
Accordingly  he  offered  us  some  venison  which  he  had 
killed  the  day  before  with  an  arrow,  for  he  had  neither 
powder  nor  fire-arms.  We  supposed  that  a  small  wood 
of  plantain-trees  concealed  from  us  the  hut  of  the  farm ; 
but  this  man,  so  proud  of  his  nobility  and  the  color  of 
his  skin,  had  not  taken  the  trouble  of  constructing  even 
a  hut  of  palm-leaves.  He  invited  us  to  have  our  ham- 
mocks hung  near  his  own,  between  two  trees ;  and  he 
assured  us,  with  an  air  of  complacency,  that  if  we  came 
up  the  river  in  the  rainy  season  we  should  find  him  be- 
neath a  roof.  We  soon  had  reason  to  complain  of  a 
system  of  philosophy  which  is  indulgent  to  indolence, 
and  renders  a  man  indifferent  to  the  conveniences  of 
lite.  A  furious  wind  arose  after  midnight,  lightnings 
flashed  over  the  horizon,  thunder  rolled,  and  we  were 
wet  to  the  skin.  During  this  storm  a  whimsical  incident 
served  to  amuse  us  for  a  moment.  Dona  Isabella's  cat 
had  perched  upon  the  tamarind-tree,  at  the  foot  of  which 
we  lay.  It  fell  into  the  hammock  of  one  of  our  com- 
panions, who,  being  hurt  by  the  claws  of  the  cat,  and 
suddenly  aroused  from  a  profound  sleep,  imagined  he 
■was  attacked  by  some  wild  beast  of  the  forest.  We  ran 
to  him  on  hearing  his  cries,  and  had  some  trouble  to 
convince  him  of  his  error.  While  it  rained  in  torrents 
on  our  hammocks  and  on  our  instruments  which  we  had 
brought  ashore,  Don  Ignatio  congratulated  us  on  our 
good  fortune  in  not  sleeping  on  the  shore,  but  finding 
ourselves  in  his  domain,  among  whites  and  persons  of 
respectability.  Wet  as  we  were,  we  could  not  easily 
persuade  ourselves  of  the  advantages  of  our  situation, 


1799-  ^   COMFORTABLE  NIGHT.  21 3 

and  we  listened  with  some  impatience  to  the  long  nar- 
rative our  host  gave  us  of  his  pretended  expedition  to 
the  Rio  Meta,  of  the  valor  he  had  displayed  in  a  san- 
guinary combat  with  the  Guahibo  Indians,  and  "the 
services  that  he  had  rendered  to  God  and  the  king,  in 
carrying  away  Indian  children  from  their  parents  to  dis- 
tribute them  in  the  missions."  We  were  struck  with  the 
singularity  of  finding  in  that  vast  solitude  a  man  believ- 
ing himself  to  be  of  European  race,  and  knowing  no 
other  shelter  than  the  shade  of  a  tree,  and  yet  having 
all  the  vain  pretensions,  hereditary  prejudices,  and 
errors  of  long-standing  civilization  ! 


A  COMFORTABLE  NIGHT. 

On  the  I  St  of  April,  at  sunrise,  we  quitted  Seiior  Don 
Ignatio  and  Senora  Dona  Isabella,  his  wife.  .  .  .  Beyond 
the  Vuelta  del  Cochino  Roto,  in  a  spot  where  the  river 
has  scooped  itself  a  new  bed,  we  passed  the  night  on  a 
bare  and  very  extensive  beach.  The  forest  being  im- 
penetrable we  had  the  greatest  difficulty  in  finding  dry 
wood  to  light  fires,  near  which  the  Indians  believe  them- 
selves in  safety  from  the  nocturnal  attacks  of  the  tiger. 
The  night  was  calm  and  serene,  and  there  was  a  beauti- 
ful moonlight.  The  crocodiles,  stretched  along  the 
shore,  placed  themselves  in  such  a  manner  as  to  be 
able  to  see  the  light.  We  thought  we  saw  that  its  blaze 
attracted  them,  as  it  attracts  crayfish,  and  other  inhab- 
itants of  the  water.  The  Indians  showed  us  the  tracks 
of  three  tigers  in  the  sand,  two  of  which  were  very 
young.  A  female  had  no  doubt  conducted  her  little 
ones  to  drink  at  the  river.  Finding  no  tree  on  the 
strand,  we  stuck  our  oars  in  the  ground,  and  to  these 


214  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1799 

we  fastened  our  hammocks.  Everything  passed  tran- 
quilly till  eleven  at  night,  and  then  a  noise  so  terrific 
arose  in  the  neighboring  forest  that  it  was  almost  im- 
possible to  close  our  eyes.  Amid  the  cries  of  so  many 
wild  beasts  howling  at  once,  the  Indians  discriminated 
such  only  as  were  at  intervals  heard  separately.  These 
were  the  soft  little  cries  of  the  sapajous,  the  moans  of 
the  alouate  apes,  the  bowlings  of  the  jaguar  and  cou- 
guar,  the  peccary,  and  the  sloth,  and  the  cries  of  the 
curassao,  the  parraka,  and  other  gallinaceous  birds. 
When  the  jaguars  approached  the  skirt  of  the  forest 
our  dog,  which  till  then  had  never  ceased  barking, 
began  to  howl  and  seek  for  shelter  beneath  our  ham- 
mocks. Sometimes,  after  a  long  silence,  the  cry  of  the 
tiger  came  from  the  tops  of  the  trees,  and  then  it  was 
followed  by  the  sharp  and  long  whistling  of  the  monkeys, 
which  appeared  to  flee  from  the  danger  which  threat- 
ened them.  We  heard  the  same  noises  repeated 
during  the  course  of  whole  months,  whenever  the  forest 
approached  the  bed  of  the  river.  The  security  evinced 
by  the  Indians  inspires  confidence  in  the  minds  of 
travellers,  who  readily  persuade  themselves  that  the 
tigers  do  not  attack  a  man  lying  in  his  hammock. 
When  the  natives  are  interrogated  on  the  causes  of 
the  tremendous  noise  made  by  the  beasts  of  the  forest 
at  certain  hours  of  the  night,  the  answer  is,  "  They  are 
keeping  the  feast  of  the  full  moon."  I  believe  this 
agitation  is  most  frequently  the  effect  of  some  confiict 
that  has  arisen  in  the  depths  of  the  forest.  The  jag- 
uars, for  instance,  pursue  the  peccaries  and  the  tapirs, 
which,  having  no  defence  but  in  their  numbers,  flee  in 
close  troops,  and  break  down  the  bushes  they  find  in 
their  way.    Terrified  at  this  struggle,  the  timid  and  mis- 


1799-  A  PLEASANT  WALK.  21 5 

trustful  monkeys  answer,  from  the  tops  of  the  trees,  the 
cries  of  the  large  animals.  They  awaken  the  birds  that 
live  in  society,  and  by  degrees  the  whole  assembly  is  in 
commotion.  It  is  not  always  in  a  fine  moonlight,  but 
more  particularly  at  the  time  of  a  storm  and  violent 
showers  that  this  tumult  takes  place  among  the  wild 
beasts.  "  May  Heaven  grant  them  a  quiet  night  and 
repose,  and  us  also ! "  said  the  monk  who  accompanied 
us  to  the  Rio  Negro,  when,  sinking  with  fatigue,  he 
assisted  in  arranging  our  accommodations  for  the  night. 

A  PLEASANT  WALK. 

We  stopped  at  noon  in  a  desert  spot  called  Algodonal. 
I  left  my  companions  while  they  drew  the  boat  ashore 
and  were  occupied  in  preparing  our  dinner.  I  went 
along  the  shore  to  get  a  near  view  of  a  group  of  croco- 
diles sleeping  in  the  sun,  and  lying  in  such  a  manner  as 
to  have  their  tails,  which  were  furnished  with  broad 
plates,  resting  on  one  another.  This  excursion  had 
nearly  proved  fatal  to  me.  I  had  kept  my  eyes  con- 
stantly fixed  towards  the  river ;  but,  whilst  picking  up 
some  spangles  of  mica  agglomerated  together  in  the 
sand,  I  discovered  the  recent  footsteps  of  a  tiger,  easily 
distinguishable  from  their  form  and  size.  The  animal 
had  gone  towards  the  forest,  and  turning  my  eyes  on 
that  side  I  found  myself  within  eighty  paces  of  a  jaguar 
that  was  lying  under  the  thick  foliage  of  a  ceiba.  No 
tiger  ever  appeared  to  me  so  large.  There  are  accidents 
in  life  against  which  we  may  seek  in  vain  to  fortify  our 
reason.  I  was  extremely  alarmed,  yet  sufficiently  master 
of  myself  and  of  my  motions  to  enable  me  to  follow  the 
advice  which  the  Indians  had  so  often  given  us  as  to 


2l6  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1799. 

how  we  ought  to  act  in  such  cases.  I  continued  to  walk 
on  without  running,  avoided  moving  my  arms,  and  I 
thought  I  observed  that  the  jaguar's  attention  was  fixed 
on  a  herd  of  capybaras  which  was  crossing  the  river.  I 
then  began  to  return,  making  a  large  circuit  towards  the 
edge  of  the  water.  As  the  distance  increased  I  thought 
I  might  accelerate  my  pace.  How  often  was  I  tempted 
to  look  back  in  order  to  assure  myself  that  I  was  not 
pursued  !  Happily  I  yielded  very  tardily  to  this  desire. 
The  jaguar  had  remained  motionless.  These  enormous 
cats  with  spotted  robes  are  so  well  fed  in  countries 
abounding  in  capybaras,  peccaries,  and  deer  that  they 
rarely  attack  men.  I  arrived  at  the  boat  out  of  breath, 
and  related  my  adventure  to  the  Indians.  They  ap- 
peared very  little  interested  by  my  story;  yet,  after 
having  loaded  our  guns,  they  accompanied  us  to  the 
ceiba  beneath  which  the  jaguar  had  lain.  He  was  there 
no  longer,  and  it  would  have  been  imprudent  to  have 
pursued  him  into  the  forest,  where  we  must  have  dis- 
persed, or  advanced  in  single  file,  amidst  the  intertwining 
lianas. 

ONE-EYED   MEN. 

Beyond  the  Great  Cataracts  of  the  Orinoco  an  un- 
known land  begins.  It  is  partly  mountainous,  receiv- 
ing at  once  the  confluents  of  the  Amazon  and  the 
Orinoco.  We  found  but  three  Christian  establishments 
above  the  Great  Cataracts,  along  the  shore  of  the  Ori- 
noco, in  an  extent  of  more  than  a  hundred  leagues;  and 
these  three  establishments  contained  scarcely  six  or 
eight  white  persons,  that  is  to  say,  persons  of  European 
race.  We  cannot  be  surprised  that  such  a  desert  region 
should  have  been  at  all  times  the  land  of  fable  and  fairy 


1799-  PLAGUE  OF  FLIES.  21/ 

visions.  There,  according  to  the  statements  of  certain 
missionaries,  are  found  races  of  men,  some  of  whom 
have  eyes  in  the  centre  of  the  forehead,  while  others 
have  dogs'  heads,  and  mouths  below  the  stomachs. 
There  they  pretend  to  have  found  all  that  the  ancients 
relate  of  the  Garamantes,  of  the  Arimaspes,  and  of  the 
Hyperboreans.  It  would  be  an  error  to  suppose  that 
these  simple  and  often  rustic  missionaries  had  them- 
selves invented  all  these  exaggerated  fictions ;  they  de- 
rived them  in  great  part  from  the  recitals  of  the  Indians. 
A  fondness  for  narration  prevails  in  the  missions,  as  it 
does  at  sea,  in  the  East,  and  in  every  place  where  the 
mind  seeks  amusement.  A  missionary,  from  his  voca- 
tion, is  not  inclined  to  scepticism  ;  he  imprints  on  his 
memory  what  the  natives  have  so  often  repeated  to  him, 
and  when  returned  to  Europe  and  restored  to  the 
civilized  world  he  finds  a  pleasure  in  creating  astonish- 
ment by  a  recital  of  facts  which  he  thinks  he  has  col- 
lected, and  by  animated  description  of  remote  things. 
These  stories,  which  the  Spanish  colonists  call  "  tales  of 
travellers  and  of  monks,"  increase  in  improbability  in 
proportion  as  you  increase  your  distance  from  the 
forests  of  the  Orinoco,  and  approach  the  coasts  inhab- 
ited by  the  whites.  When  at  Cumana,  Nueva  Barcelona, 
and  other  seaports  which  have  frequent  communication 
with  the  missions,  if  you  betray  any  sign  of  incredulity, 
you  are  reduced  to  silence  by  these  few  words :  "  The 
fathers  have  seen  it,  but  far  above  the  Great  Cataracts." 

PLAGUE   OF   FLIES. 

Persons  who  have  not  navigated  the  great  rivers  of 
equinoctial  America,  for  instance,  the  Orinoco  and  the 
Magdalena,  can  scarcely  conceive  how,  at  every  instant, 


2l8  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1799. 

without  intermission,  you  may  be  tormented  by  insects 
flying  in  the  air,  and  how  the  multitude  of  these  little 
animals  may  render  vast  regions  almost  uninhabitable. 
Whatever  fortitude  be  exercised  to  endure  pain  without 
complaint,  whatever  interest  may  be  felt  in  the  objects 
of  scientific  research,  it  is  impossible  not  to  be  constantly 
disturbed  by  the  mosquitos,  zancudos,  jejens,  and  tem- 
praneros,  that  cover  the  face  and  hands,  pierce  the 
clothes  with  their  long,  needle-formed  suckers,  and 
getting  into  the  mouth  and  nostrils  occasion  coughing 
and  sneezing  whenever  any  attempt  is  made  to  speak  in 
the  open  air.  In  the  missions  of  Orinoco,  in  the  villages 
on  the  banks  of  the  river,  surrounded  by  immense 
forests,  the  plaga  de  las  moscas^  or  the  plague  of  the 
mosquitos,  affords  an  inexhaustible  subject  of  conversa- 
tion. When  two  persons  meet  in  the  morning  the  first 
questions  they  address  to  each  other  are :  "  How  did 
you  find  the  zancudos  during  the  night  ?  How  are  we 
to-day  for  the  mosquitos  ?"..."  How  comfortable 
must  people  be  in  the  moon ! "  said  a  Saliva  Indian  to 
Father  Gumilla.  "  She  looks  so  beautiful  and  so  clear 
that  she  must  be  free  from  mosquitos."  ... 


INTERLOCKED  RIVERS. 

During  the  night  we  had  left  the  waters  of  the  Ori- 
noco, and  at  sunrise  found  ourselves  as  if  transported 
to  a  new  country,  on  the  banks  of  a  river  the  name  of 
which  we  had  scarcely  ever  heard  pronounced,  and 
which  was  to  conduct  us  by  the  portage  of  Pimichin  to 
the  Rio  Negro,  on  the  frontiers  of  Brazil.  "  You  will 
go  up,"  said  the  president  of  the  missions,  who  resides 
at  San  Fernando,  "first  the  Atabapo,  then  the  Temi, 


1799-  INTERLOCKED  RIVERS.  219 

and  finally  the  Tuamini.  When  the  force  of  the  current 
of  *  black  waters '  hinders  you  from  advancing  you  will 
be  conducted  out  of  the  bed  of  the  river  through  forests 
which  you  will  find  inundated.  Two  monks  only  are 
settled  in  those  desert  places  between  the  Orinoco  and 
the  Rio  Negro,  but  at  Javita  you  will  be  furnished  with 
the  means  of  having  your  canoe  drawn  overland  in  the 
course  of  four  days  to  Cafio  Pimichin.  If  it  be  not 
broken  to  pieces  you  will  descend  the  Rio  Negro  without 
any  obstacle,  as  far  as  the  little  fort  of  San  Carlos ;  you 
will  go  up  the  Cassiguiare,  and  then  return  to  San  Fer- 
nando in  a  month,  descending  the  upper  Orinoco  from 
east  to  west."  Such  was  the  plan  traced  for  our  pas- 
sage, and  we  carried  it  into  effect  without  danger,  though 
not  without  some  suffering,  in  the  space  of  thirty-three 
days. 


A  YOUNG   MAN'S  VOYAGE. 

*'  T  TNCLE  FRITZ,"  said  Horace,  "  why  did  you  say, 

^^  when  we  were  talking  of  Humboldt,  that  those 
were  the  days  of  boys  ?  " 

"  Oh,  my  boy,  I  am  very  sorry  I  said  so,  if  it  seemed 
as  if  those  were  more  the  days  of  boys  than  these  are. 
There  were  never  times  when  young  men,  well  trained, 
came  to  the  front  more  readily  than  they  do  now.  What 
I  meant  to  say  was,  that  in  just  that  period  of  the  Na- 
poleon wars,  old  things  had  been  so  thoroughly  broken 
up  that  boys  had  chances  they  had  not  fifty  years  before. 
Those  boys  have  since  become  old  men.  They  have 
written  their  lives  and  adventures,  and  so  there  is  a  litera- 
ture of  that  time  about  the  adventures  of  youngsters, 
which  we  do  not  have  of  earlier  times,  and  cannot,  as  yet, 
have  of  later. 

"  Will  you  go  into  Lady  Oliver's  sitting-room,  take  the 
steps,  and  look  along  the  books  at  C  till  you  find  two 
little  volumes  of  Cleveland's  Travels?" 

Horace  found  the  book  in  a  moment.  It  is  a  miscel- 
laneous collection  in  that  room,  and  they  catalogue  them- 
selves by  the  convenient  way,  for  such  a  collection,  of 
standing  in  alphabetical  order  of  the  authors. 

"  Now,  here,"  continued  Uncle  Fritz,  "  is  a  charming 
little  book  of  adventures,  written  at  the  end  of  life  by  a 


1797-  ^    YOUNG  MAN'S   VOYAGE.  221 

gentleman  who  was  sent  out  from  Salem  very  young,  in 
command  of  a  vessel  which  was  to  go  to  Mocha  for  coffee. 
But  they  stopped  at  Havre,  in  France,  first.  There  the 
vessel  was  recalled,  and  poor  Cleveland  found  himself  in  a 
strange  port  without  an  adventure. 

"  What  does  he  do  but  make  one.  He  bought  a  Httle 
Dover  packet-boat  of  thirty-eight  tons.  Packet-boats  be- 
tween Dover  and  Calais  were  not  worth  much  when 
France  was  at  war  with  England.  He  had  fifteen  hundred 
dollars  with  which  to  buy  a  cargo.  Two  friends  contrib- 
uted each  a  thousand,  on  condition  that  all  three  should 
share  equally  when  the  voyage  was  over.  This  little  vessel 
he  meant  to  take  to  the  Island  of  Bourbon,  knowing  well 
what  that  market  required.     See  what  happened  to  him." 

A  VOYAGE  WITH  FOUR  SAILORS. 

The  difficulty  of  procuring  men  seemed  to  increase 
with  each  additional  day's  detention.  Those  whom  I 
engaged  one  day  would  desert  the  next,  alarmed  by  some 
exaggerated  story  of  our  first  attempt.  In  the  course  of 
three  weeks  I  shipped  no  less  than  four  different  men  as 
mates,  and  as  many  different  crews,  and  each  in  turn 
abandoned  me.  At  length  I  procured  an  active  and 
capable  young  seaman  from  a  Nantucket  ship,  one  whom 
the  captain  recommended,  as  mate,  and  another  man  and 
a  boy  in  addition  to  George,  who  had  held  true  to  his 
engagement.  I  was  desirous  of  procuring  one  more,  but 
my  attempt  to  do  so  was  unsuccessful,  and,  fearing  that  by 
any  delay  for  this  purpose  I  might  lose  those  already  on 
board,  I  sailed  immediately. 

Our  expedition  had  become  a  subject  of  general  con- 
versation in  the  town,  and  the  difficulty  of  getting  away 


222  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE,  1797. 

the  Indiaman  (as  she  was  called)  was  known  to  every  one. 
The  day,  therefore,  that  we  sailed  the  pier-head  was  again 
thronged  with  people,  who  cheered  us  as  we  passed  by, 
wishing  us  "un  bon  voyage,"  but  no  small  portion  of 
them  considered  us  as  bound  to  certain  destruction.  It 
was  now  the  21st  day  of  December,  a  season  of  the  year 
when  the  loss  of  a  few  hours  only  of  the  easterly  wind 
then  blowing  might  be  attended  with  disagreeable,  if  not 
disastrous  consequences.  We  therefore  set  all  our  sail 
to  improve  it,  and,  while  making  rapid  progress  towards 
the  channel,  were  brought  to  by  a  British  frigate,  com- 
manded by  Sir  R.  Strachan.  The  boarding  officer  was 
very  civil.  He  declared  our  enterprise  to  be  a  very  daring 
one,  caused  us  as  little  detention  as  possible,  and,  return- 
ing to  his  ship,  immediately  made  the  signal  that  we  might 
proceed. 

It  was  soon  very  evident  that  no  person  on  board,  ex- 
cepting the  mate  and  myself,  was  capable  of  performing 
the  very  common  and  indispensable  business  of  steering ; 
and  though  there  was  no  doubt  our  men  would  soon  learn, 
yet,  in  the  mean  time,  we  had  the  prospect  before  us  of  a 
tedious,  though  not  very  laborious  course  of  duty.  As  the 
wind  continued  to  be  favorable,  our  passage  down  the 
Channel  was  easy  and  expeditious,  and  the  day  after  leaving 
Havre  we  passed  by  and  in  sight  of  the  Island  of  Ushant. 
We  were  now  in  a  position  to  feel  the  full  effect  of  the 
westerly  gales,  which  are  so  prevalent  at  this  season  of  the 
year ;  and  in  order  to  have  plenty  of  sea- room  in  case  of 
encountering  one,  I  directed  a  course  to  be  steered  which 
should  carry  us  wide  of  Cape  Ortegal.  .  .  . 

A  sufficient  time  had  now  elapsed  since  leaving  Havre 
(it  being  the  third  day)  to  give  me  a  very  tolerable  knowl- 
edge  of  my  crew,  whose   characters,  peculiarities,  and 


1797.  GEORGE  AT  THE  HELM.  223 

accomplishments  were  such  that  a  sketch  of  them  may 
not  be  without  interest  to  the  reader.  My  mate,  Reuben 
Barnes,  was  a  young  man  of  nineteen  or  twenty,  who, 
having  been  engaged  in  the  whale-fishery,  had  profited  bj 
that  excellent  school  to  acquire  not  only  the  knowledge 
of  the  seaman's  profession,  but  also  enough  of  the 
mechanic  arts  to  fish  a  spar  with  dexterity,  to  caulk  a 
seam,  or  to  make  a  bucket  or  a  barrel.  The  inteUigence, 
activity,  watchfulness,  and  adroitness  of  this  young  man 
reUeved  me  from  much  anxiety  and  care,  and  in  his  con- 
duct with  me  he  evinced  all  the  steadiness  and  fidelity 
which  the  recommendation  he  brought,  as  well  as  the 
place  of  his  birth,  had  led  me  to  expect. 

Decidedly  the  most  important  personage  of  my  foremast 
hands  was  the  black  man,  George,  who  had  dared  to  em- 
bark on  our  second  voyage,  after  having  shared  in  the 
disasters  of  the  first.  In  his  capacity  and  dialect,  George 
was  the  veriest  negro  that  can  be  imagined.  For  honesty, 
fidelity,  and  courage  he  may  have  been  equalled,  but  can 
never  have  been  surpassed.  He  stood  about  six  feet  and 
three  inches,  was  rather  slender,  very  awkward,  and  of  a 
much  more  sable  hue  than  common,  but  with  an  expression 
of  countenance  mild  and  pleasing.  With  simplicity  of 
character  approximating  to  folly,  he  united  a  degree  of 
self-conceit  which  led  him  to  believe  that  he  could  do 
whatever  could  be  done  by  another,  and,  in  some  cases, 
to  suppose  he  could  make  great  improvements,  —  an  in- 
stance of  which  occurred  before  we  had  been  out  a  week. 
In  his  previous  voyages  George  had  been  cook,  and  had 
therefore  nothing  to  do  with  the  compass  ;  but  now,  having 
to  take  his  regular  turn  at  steering,  he  was  greatly  puzzled 
with  its  unsteadiness.  He  could  steer  in  the  night  with 
tolerable  accuracy,  by  giving  him  a  star  by  which  to  steer. 


224  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1797. 

but  the  compass  appeared  to  him  to  be  calculated  only  to 
embarrass.  With  a  view  of  remedying  this  difficulty 
George  had  taken  off  the  cover  to  the  till  of  his  chest,  on 
vi^hich,  having  marked  the  points  of  the  compass,  and 
pierced  a  hole  in  the  centre  for  the  pivot,  he  brought  it 
aft,  and  with  great  appearance  of  complacency  and  ex- 
pectation of  applause,  placed  it  on  deck  before  the  helms- 
man, with  the  proper  point  directed  forward  to  correspond 
with  the  course,  and  then  exclaimed  :  "  Dair,  massa,  dat 
compass  be  teady.  George  teer  by  him  well  as  any- 
body." 

But  this  simplicity  and  conceit  was  more  than  redeemed 
by  his  tried  fidelity  and  heroic  courage,  of  which  the  fol- 
lowing is  a  remarkable  instance  :  George  had  been  a  slave 
to  some  planter  in  Savannah ;  and  one  day,  being  in  the 
woods  with  his  master,  they  encountered  an  Indian,  who 
was  hunting.  Some  dispute  arising,  the  Indian,  having 
the  advantage  of  being  armed,  threatened  to  shoot  them. 
In  consequence  of  this  threat  they  seized  him  and  took 
away  his  gun,  but  after  a  litde  while,  and  with  urgent 
entreaties  and  fair  promises  from  him,  they  were  induced 
to  return  it,  first  taking  the  precaution  to  dip  it  into  water 
to  prevent  an  immediate  use  of  it.  This  served  again  to 
rouse  the  anger  of  the  Indian,  who  immediately  took  the 
readiest  means  for  drying  it.  In  the  mean  time  George 
and  his  master  had  entered  a  canoe,  and,  pursuing  their 
way  in  a  narrow  river  or  creek,  had  got  a  long  distance 
from  the  spot  where  they  had  left  the  Indian,  when,  on 
looking  back,  they  perceived  him  running  after  them  on 
the  bank.  On  arriving  abreast  of  them  he  immediately 
took  aim,  which  George  perceiving  threw  himself  as  a 
shield  between  his  master  and  the  ball,  and  was  so  severely 
wounded  that  his  life  was  for  many  weeks  despaired  of. 


1797-  FRENCH  AND   GERMAN.  225 

After  a  confinement  of  six  months  he  entirely  recovered, 
and,  as  a  reward,  his  master  gave  him  his  liberty. 

At  the  time  he'  engaged  with  me  he  had  been  a  sailor 
about  two  years,  and  had  been  so  invariably  cheated  out 
of  his  wages  that  he  had  no  other  means  of  clothing  him- 
self than  the  advance  I  paid  him.  Such  treatment  had 
been  productive  of  a  tinge  of  misanthropy,  and  it  was 
not  until  after  long  acquaintance  that  he  gave  me  his 
entire  confidence.  As  this  acquaintance  continued  for 
many  years  (even  as  long  as  he  lived),  and  as  he  was  a 
sharer  of  my  various  adventures,  I  shall  have  frequent 
occasion  to  mention  his  name  in  connection  with  my  own 
while  narrating  them. 

My  other  man  had  been  a  Prussian  grenadier.  He  had 
served  in  the  army  of  the  Duke  of  Brunswick  at  the  time 
of  his  invading  Holland  to  restore  the  authority  of  the 
Stadtholder,  and  in  other  campaigns ;  but  having  a  dislike 
to  the  profession,  he  had  deserted,  and  had  been  about 
eighteen  months  a  sailor  in  English  vessels.  During  this 
time  he  had  not  acquired  such  a  knowledge  of  steering 
that  we  could  leave  him  at  the  helm  without  watching 
him,  and  however  brave  he  may  have  been  in  the  ranks, 
he  was  the  veriest  coward  imaginable  when  called  to  the 
performance  of  duties  aloft.  In  addition  to  this  incapacity 
he  possessed  a  most  ungovernable  temper ;  and,  being  a 
powerful  man,  we  had  considerable  difficulty  in  keeping 
him  at  all  times  in  a  state  of  subordination,  —  a  difficulty 
which  was  in  some  degree  augmented  by  his  very  imper- 
fect knowledge  of  our  language  and  the  consequent  em- 
barrassment he  found  in  making  himself  understood. 

The  last  as  well  as  the  least  of  our  members  was  a  little 
French  boy  of  fourteen  years,  who  possessed  all  the 
vivacity  peculiar  to  his  countrymen,  and  who,  having  been 

15 


226  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1797. 

some  time  on  board  the  Carmagnole  and  other  privateers, 
had  acquired  many  of  the  tricks  of  a  finished  man-of- 
war's  man.  Some  months'  residence  in  an  Enghsh  prison 
had  given  him  the  command  of  a  few  English  words,  but 
they  were  not  of  a  selection  that  indicated  much  care  in 
the  teacher. 

It  was  not  uncommon  for  George,  the  Prussian  grenadier, 
and  the  French  boy  to  get  into  a  warm  debate  on  the 
relative  merits  of  their  respective  countries,  for  they  were 
all  men  of  great  vivacity  and  patriotism ;  and  sometimes 
(probably  from  not  understanding  each  other)  they  would 
become  so  angry  as  to  render  it  necessary  for  the  mate  to 
interfere  to  restore  tranquillity.  At  such  moments  I  used 
to  think  that  if  Hogarth  could  have  been  an  observer  his 
genius  would  have  done  justice  to  the  group.  It  may 
fairly  be  presumed,  however,  that  such  a  ship's  company, 
for  an  India  voyage,  was  never  before  seen,  and,  moreover, 
that  we  "  ne'er  shall  look  upon  its  like  again." 

For  several  days  after  passing  the  Isle  of  Ushant,  the 
wind  was  light  from  northwest  and  west-northwest,  ac- 
companied with  a  heavy  swell  from  that  quarter,  and 
though  our  progress  was  in  consequence  slow,  it  was  pro- 
portionally comfortable.  Before  we  had  reached  the  lati- 
tude of  Cape  Finisterre  the  light  wind,  before  which  we 
had  been  sailing  with  all  our  canvas  spread,  died  away, 
and  left  us  some  hours  becalmed.  During  this  time  one 
of  our  pigs  had  got  overboard  and  was  swimming  away 
from  the  vessel.  George,  being  an  excellent  swimmer,  did 
not  hesitate  to  go  after  him;  but  when  he  had  caught 
him,  at  the  distance  from  us  of  about  twenty  fathoms,  a 
light  puff  of  wind,  termed  by  seamen  a  cat's-paw,  took 
the  sails  aback,  and  suddenly  increased  our  distance  from 
George,  who  perceiving  it  and  becoming  alanned  let  go 


1798.  AN  ENGLISH  FRIGATE.  22/ 

the  pig  and  swam  for  the  vessel,  crying  out  histily,  as  he 
approached,  "  I  dead,  I  dead  ! "  As  he  had  not  been  long 
in  the  water,  nor  used  such  exertion  as  to  cause  extraor- 
dinary exhaustion,  I  was  apprehensive  that  he  might  be 
attacked  by  a  shark.  We  threw  towards  him  a  spar  and 
set  immediately  about  clearing  away  the  boat,  but  before 
we  could  be  ready  to  launch  it  George  had  seized  the 
spar,  and,  by  its  aid,  had  succeeded  in  getting  alongside. 
When  taken  on  board  he  did  not  hesitate  to  express  his 
belief  that  our  going  from  him  was  intentional,  and  that, 
had  the  breeze  continued,  we  should  have  left  him  for  the 
purpose  of  saving  his  wages.  Nor  was  it  until  after  long 
experience,  and  repeatedly  receiving  his  wages  when  due, 
that  he  would  acknowledge  that  he  had  judged  me 
erroneously. 

The  day  succeeding  this  adventure  we  had  another, 
which  nearly  brought  our  voyage  to  a  close.  Early  in  the 
morning  we  fell  in  with  the  •  British  frigate.  Stag.  The 
wind  was  so  light  and  its  influence  on  the  manoeuvres  of 
the  ship  so  counteracted  by  a  deep  and  hollow  swell  that, 
getting  sternway,  her  counter  came  in  contact  with  our 
broadside  with  a  tremendous  force,  which  threatened 
immediate  destiuction,  and  which  must  have  been  the 
result  but  for  the  order  instantly  given  and  obeyed  to  "  fill 
away."  This  saved  us  from  a  second  shock,  and  we  were 
happy  to  perceive  we  had  received  no  other  damage  than 
that  of  breaking  the  rail.  The  officer  of  the  frigate  very 
politely  offered  to  send  their  carpenter  on  board  to  repair 
this,  but  I  declined,  from  my  desire  of  not  losing  a  mo- 
ment's time  in  advancing  towards  those  latitudes  where 
gales  of  wind  were  of  less  frequent  occurrence.  When 
we  were  released  from  this  visit  the  mate  immediately  set 
about   exercising  his  ingenuity  as  carpenter;  and,  with 


228  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE  1798. 

great  application,  he  completed  the  repairs,  in  a  work- 
manlike manner,  on  the  tliird  day  after  meeting  the  acci- 
dent. 

We  had  now  advanced  far  into  the  second  week  of  our 
departure.  The  wind,  though  light,  was  fair,  and  the  pros- 
pect was  favorable  for  the  continuance  of  good  weather. 
These  encouraging  circumstances  led  me  to  hope  that  we 
should  reach  the  tropical  latitudes  without  encountering  a 
gale,  and  also  without  meeting  what  was  more  to  be 
dreaded,  any  one  of  those  Spanish  or  French  privateers, 
which  had  frequented  the  track  we  were  passing,  and 
whose  conduct,  in  many  instances,  to  defenceless  mer- 
chant vessels  had  nearly  equalled  that  of  the  ancient  buc- 
caneers. 

We  had  passed  by  many  vessels,  but  had  carefully 
avoided  speaking  with  any  one.  At  length,  on  a  very  fine 
morning,  as  the  sun  rose,  and  when  we  were  about  fifty 
leagues  west  of  Cadiz,  we  perceived  a  small  sail  in  the 
northwest.  At  ten  o'clock  she  was  equally  plain  to  be 
seen,  and  by  noon  we  were  satisfied  she  was  in  chase  of, 
and  was  gaining  on  us.  We  kept  steadily  on  our  course, 
hoping  that  an  increase  of  wind  would  give  us  an  advan- 
tage, or  that  some  other  object  might  divert  their  atten- 
tion. But  our  hopes  were  fallacious.  The  wind  rather 
decreased,  and  when  this  was  the  case  we  observed  she 
appeared  to  approach  us  faster.  By  two  o'clock  we  per- 
ceived she  had  lateen  sails,  and  hence  had  no  doubt  of 
her  being  a  privateer.  Soon  after  she  began  to  fire  at  us, 
but  the  balls  fell  much  short.  As  the  wind  continued  very 
light  it  was  soon  apparent  that  we  could  not  escape,  as  we 
perceived  that  her  progress  was  accelerated  by  means  of  a 
multitude  of  sweeps.  To  run  any  longer  would  only  have 
been  incurring  the  risk  of  irritating  the  captain  of  the 


1798.  A   PRIVATEER.  229 

buccaneer ;  we  therefore  rounded  to  and  prepared  to  be 
plundered. 

As  they  came  up  with  us,  about  five  o'clock,  they  gave 
such  a  shout  of  "  Bonne  prise  !  bonne  prise  !  "  as  would 
be  expected  from  banditti  subject  to  no  control;  but  I 
felt  considerable  relief  in  the  persuasion  that,  as  their  flag 
indicated,  they  were  French,  and  not  Spanish.  After  the 
shouting  had  ceased  I  was  ordered,  in  very  coarse  terms, 
to  hoist  out  my  boat  and  come  on  board  with  my  papers. 
I  replied  that  I  had  not  men  sufficient  to  put  out  the  boat. 
The  order  was  reiterated,  accompanied  with  a  threat  of 
firing  into  us.  I  then  sent  my  men  below  and  waited  the 
result,  which  was  that  they  got  out  their  own  boat.  The 
officer  who  came  on  board  I  suppose  to  have  been  the 
captain  himself,  from  the  circumstance  of  his  being  a  very 
intelligent  man,  and  from  my  presence  not  being  required 
on  board  the  privateer.  A  cursory  examination  of  our 
papers  convinced  him  of  our  neutral  character,  and  the 
exhibition  of  a  passport,  with  a  seal  and  signature  of  one 
high  in  authority  in  the  French  government,  while  it  aston- 
ished, seemed  also  to  satisfy  him  that  the  less  trouble  and 
detention  he  gave  us  the  better,  as  he  immediately  ordered 
his  ruffians  to  desist  from  clearing  away  for  opening  the 
hatches,  which  they  had  already  begun,  and  to  go  on 
board  their  boat,  where,  after  wishing  me  a  good  voyage 
and  regretting  the  detention  he  had  caused,  he  joined 
them,  and  they  returned  to  their  privateer  and  sailed  in 
pursuit  of  other  adventures. 

The  result  of  this  rencontre  was  better  than  I  had  antici- 
pated, aware,  as  I  was,  of  the  general  insubordination  on 
board  of  vessels  of  this  description.  I  had  feared  that, 
even  if  the  chief  had  been  disposed  to  prevent  his  men 
from  plundering,  it  would  not  have  been  in  his  power,  and 
I  was  much  relieved  by  finding  myself  mistaken. 


230  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1798. 

Pursuing  a  course  for  the  Cape  de  Verde  Islands,  we 
came  in  sight  of  them  the  thirtieth  day  from  leaving 
Havre.  It  was  my  intention  to  stop  at  Port  Praya  to 
obtain  a  supply  of  fruit  and  vegetables,  but  I  was  pre- 
vented by  a  gale  of  wind,  in  which  we  lay  to  twelve  hours, 
and  had  a  fair  opportunity  of  testing  the  good  properties 
of  the  vessel  for  this  important  purpose.  This  was  the 
only  gale  of  any  severity  that  we  experienced  during  the 
passage ;  and,  as  evidence  that  it  was  of  no  inconsiderable 
violence,  a  ship  came  into  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  three 
days  after  our  arrival  there,  which  had  lost  her  mizzenmast 
in  the  same  gale. 

It  is  well  known  to  all  who  have  crossed  the  ocean,  and 
may  easily  be  imagined  by  those  who  have  not,  that  a 
passage  at  sea  presents  to  the  observer  little  else,  from  day 
to  day,  than  the  same  unbounded  and  (in  tropical  climes) 
unvaried  horizon ;  the  same  abyss  of  waters,  agitated  more 
or  less  as  it  is  acted  upon  by  the  wind  ;  the  same  routine 
of  duties  to  be  performed  on  board,  which,  in  the  trade 
winds,  have  seldom  even  the  ordinary  excitement  caused 
by  reducing  and  making  sail ;  and  when  this  monotonous 
round  is  interrupted  by  speaking  a  vessel,  by  catching  a 
porpoise,  or  by  seeing  a  whale,  the  incident  is  seized  with 
avidity  as  an  important  item  to  be  inserted  in  the  ship's 
log-book,  or  journal  of  the  day's  transaction. 

As  our  experience  was  of  this  kind  I  have  only  to  notice 
that  we  crossed  the  equator  in  the  longitude  of  25°,  and 
that  we  met  with  no  occurrence,  worthy  of  note,  from  the 
time  of  our  leaving  the  Cape  de  Verde  Islands  to  our 
arrival  at  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  excepting  that  one 
night,  when  going  before  the  wind  with  a  strong  breeze, 
the  Prussian  soldier  brought  over  the  main  boom  with 
such  violence  as  to  part  the  sheet  and  rouse  all  hands 


1798.  CAPE   TOWN.  23 1 

from  their  slumbers.  As  there  was  a  considerable  sea,  it 
was  not  without  great  difficulty  and  risk  that  the  boom 
was  again  secured. 

On  passing  the  equator  we  discovered  that  one  of  our 
casks  of  water  had  nearly  leaked  out ;  and,  having  failed 
to  fill  up  the  empty  ones,  it  was  doubtful  if  we  had  suffi- 
cient to  carry  us  to  the  Isle  of  France.  This  considera- 
tion, and  the  desire  of  obtaining  refreshments  and  a  short 
respite  from  the  fatigue  and  anxiety  of  such  a  passage, 
determined  me  to  stop  at  the  Cape,  as  I  believed,  also, 
that  our  cargo  might  be  sold  advantageously  there. 

Shaping  our  course  accordingly,  we  came  in  sight  of 
the  Table  Mount  on  the  21st  March,  1798,  just  three 
months  from  the  time  of  our  leaving  Havre.  We  were  so 
near  in  before  dark  as  to  perceive  that  we  were  signalled 
at  the  lion's  head,  but  were  not  able  to  reach  the  anchor- 
age until  between  nine  and  ten  o'clock  in  the  evening. 
We  had  scarcely  dropped  our  anchor  when  we  were 
boarded  by  a  man-of-war's  boat;  the  officer  of  which, 
finding  we  were  from  France,  immediately  hurried  me 
ashore,  in  my  sea-garb,  to  see  the  Admiral  (Sir  Hugh  C. 
Christian),  who,  surrounded  by  a  group  of  naval  officers, 
appeared  very  earnest  for  such  European  news  as  I  could 
give  them.  After  passing  nearly  an  hour  with  the  Admiral, 
who  treated  me  with  great  civility,  and  answering  the 
many  questions  which  were  asked  by  the  company,  the 
officer  who  took  me  from  my  vessel  was  desired  to  convey 
me  on  board  again ;  an  hour  having  been  previously 
named  by  the  Admiral  at  which  I  was  to  meet  him,  the 
next  morning,  at  the  government  house. 

The  arrival  of  such  a  vessel  from  Europe  naturally 
excited  the  curiosity  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  Cape,  and 
the  next  morning  being  calm,  we  had  numerous  visitors 


232  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1798, 

on  board,  who  could  not  disguise  their  astonishment  at 
the  size  of  the  vessel,  the  boyish  appearance  of  the  master 
and  mate,  the  queer  and  unique  characters  of  the  two 
men  and  boy  who  constituted  the  crew,  and  the  length  of 
the  passage  we  had  accompHshed. 

Various  were  the  conjectures  of  the  good  people  of  the 
Cape  as  to  the  real  object  of  our  enterprise.  While  some 
among  them  viewed  it  in  its  true  light,  that  of  a  commer- 
cial speculation,  others  believed  that  under  this  mask  we 
were  employed  by  the  French  government  for  the  convey- 
ance of  their  despatches,  and  some  even  went  so  far  as 
to  declare  a  belief  that  we  were  French  spies,  and,  as 
such,  deserving  of  immediate  arrest  and  confinement. 
Indeed,  our  enterprise  formed  the  principal  theme  of  con- 
versation at  the  Cape  during  the  week  subsequent  to  our 
arrival. 

At  the  hour  appointed  I  presented  myself  at  the  gov- 
ernment house,  and  was  introduced  to  the  Governor,  Lord 
Macartney,  in  whose  company  I  found,  also,  the  Admiral. 
There  was  so  much  urbanity  and  affability  in  the  reception 
I  met  with  from  the  Governor  as  well  as  the  Admiral  that 
it  inspired  me  with  confidence  and  prevented  my  feeling 
any  embarrassment.  The  Governor  very  politely  handed 
me  a  chair ;  and,  seated  between  these  two  distinguished 
men,  I  was  prepared  to  answer,  to  the  best  of  my  knowl- 
edge, such  questions  as  they  should  ask  me,  and  to  give 
them  all  the  information  respecting  European  affairs  that 
my  residence  in  that  country  and  my  recent  departure 
enabled  me  to  do.  It  was  just  at  this  period  that  the 
flotilla  was  assembhng  in  the  ports  of  the  Channel  for  the 
invasion  of  England,  and  on  this  subject  in  particular  they 
were  very  earnest  to  obtain  information,  seeming  to  be 
not   without   apprehension   that  an   invasion   was   really 


£798.  LORD  MACARTNEY.  233 

intended.  While  I  related  to  them  what  had  come  under 
my  own  observation  with  regard  to  the  preparation  and 
what  I  had  heard  from  others,  I  expressed  to  them  the 
belief,  founded  on  the  desperate  nature  of  the  undertaking, 
that  nothing  more  was  intended  by  it  than  to  keep  Eng- 
land in  a  state  of  alarm,  and  to  cause  a  corresponding 
increase  of  expenses. 

Having  interrogated  me  to  their  satisfaction  on  the 
political  affairs  of  France,  they  adverted  to  the  more 
humble  business  of  the  object  of  my  enterprise,  which  the 
Admiral  did  not  hesitate  to  declare  he  believed  to  be  for 
the  conveyance  of  despatches  for  the  French  government ; 
and,  in  this  belief,  informed  me  that  he  should  take 
measures  to  prevent  my  going  to  the  Isle  of  France.  At 
the  same  time,  and  as  an  additional  evidence  of  this  per- 
suasion, he  had  ordered  that  a  search  should  be  made  on 
board  my  vessel  for  the  supposed  despatches,  and  that  all 
the  letters  and  papers  found  on  board  should  be  brought 
to  him.  Consequently,  my  journal,  book  of  accounts, 
and  private  letters  and  papers  were  submitted  to  his 
inspection,  and  the  letters  I  had  for  French  gentlemen  in 
the  Mauritius  were  all  broken  open. 

On  the  conclusion  of  my  visit  to  the  Governor,  who 
gave  me  permission  to  dispose  of  my  cargo  here  if  I  de- 
sired, I  went  to  the  house  of  an  old  acquaintance,  where  I 
had  lodged  in  a  former  voyage,  and  in  what  he  considered 
more  propitious  times.  Both  he  and  his  family  seemed 
glad  to  see  me,  and  invited  me  to  take  up  lodgings  there 
again ;  but  the  safety  of  my  vessel  required  my  presence 
on  board  not  less  in  port  than  at  sea,  and  I  therefore 
declined. 

The  day  following  my  letters  and  papers  were  returned 
to  me  by  the  secretary  of  the  Admiral,  and  I  was  surprised 


234  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1798. 

by  a  proposition  from  him  for  the  purchase  of  my  vessel. 
I  delayed  giving  an  answer  until  the  next  day,  and  in  the 
mean  time  my  inquiries  led  me  to  beHeve  that  my  cargo 
would  sell  advantageously,  but  there  was  nothing  but 
specie  which  would  answer  my  purpose  to  take  away  for 
it,  and  this  was  prohibited.  With  a  provision  for  the 
removal  of  this  difficulty,  and  a  good  price  for  my  vessel, 
I  was  prepared  to  negotiate  with  the  secretary.  Meeting 
him,  therefore,  at  the  time  appointed,  and  both  being 
what  in  trade  is  called  off-hand  men,  we  soon  closed  the 
bargain  by  his  engaging  to  pay  me,  on  delivery  of  the 
Caroline  and  stores,  five  thousand  Spanish  dollars,  and  to 
obtain  for  me  permission  to  export  ten  thousand.  This 
so  far  exceeded  the  cost  of  the  vessel,  and  was  even  so 
much  more  than  I  had  expected  to  receive  at  the  Isle  of 
France,  that  I  considered  myself  already  well  indemnified 
for  all  my  trouble  and  anxiety. 

As  the  Admiral  was  pressing  to  have  the  vessel  dis- 
charged, it  was  my  intention  to  land  the  cargo,  next  day, 
on  my  own  account ;  but  in  the  mean  time,  I  contracted 
with  the  merchant,  at  whose  house  I  now  resided,  for  the 
whole  of  it,  at  a  moderate  advance  on  the  invoice ;  it 
being  agreed  that  he  was  to  pay  the  duties,  the  expense 
of  landing,  etc.  My  spirits  were  now  much  elevated  with 
my  success,  and  with  the  prospect  of  soon  being  rid  of 
the  Caroline  and  of  the  care  inseparable  from  having  such 
a  vessel,  so  circumstanced. 

But  I  was  allowed  but  a  short  period  to  my  exultation  ; 
new  and  alarming  difficulties  awaited  me,  of  which  I  had 
no  suspicion,  and  which  were  more  harassing  than  the 
dangers  of  the  winds  and  the  waves.  It  appeared  that 
the  duties  on  entries  at  the  custom  house  were  a  percent- 
age on  the  invoice,  and  that  it  was  a  very  common  prac- 


1798.  ADDRESSING  A  LORD.  235 

tice  with  the  merchants  to  make  short  entries.  The 
purchaser  was  aware  that,  to  stand  on  equal  footing  with 
other  merchants,  he  must  do  as  they  did ;  but  he  seems 
not  to  have  reflected  that,  being  known  to  be  more  hostile 
to  the  English  government  than  any  other  individual  at 
the  Cape,  he  would  be  rigidly  watched,  and,  if  detected, 
would  have  less  indulgence  than  any  other.  The  conse- 
quence was  a  detection  of  the  short  entry  and  seizure  of 
vessel  and  cargo.  The  merchant  went  immediately,  in  a 
supplicating  mood,  to  the  collector,  in  the  hope  of  arrang- 
ing the  affair  before  it  should  become  generally  known ; 
but  it  was  all  in  vain. 

The  only  alternative  which  seemed  now  to  be  left  me 
was  to  appeal  to  the  highest  authority,  and  I  determined 
to  write  to  Lord  Macartney  and  prove  to  him  that,  by  my 
contract  for  the  sale  of  the  cargo,  the  duties  were  not  to 
be  paid  by  me,  and  that  consequently  I  should  have 
derived  no  benefit  had  the  attempt  for  evading  them  suc- 
ceeded ;  but  that,  on  the  other  hand,  if  the  vessel  and 
cargo  were  to  be  confiscated  I  should  be  the  sufierer,  as  it 
was  doubtful  if  the  merchant  could  make  good  the  loss. 
I  hoped  that  he  might  thus  be  induced  to  advise  a  less 
severe  course  than  the  collector  intended  to  pursue.  But 
how  to  write  a  suitable  letter  embarrassed  me.  I  had  no 
friend  with  whom  to  advise.  I  was  entirely  ignorant  of 
tlie  manner  of  addressing  a  nobleman,  and  at  the  same 
time  was  aware  of  the  necessity  of  doing  it  with  propriety. 
In  this  dilemma  I  remembered  to  have  seen,  in  an  old 
magazine  on  board,  some  letters  addressed  to  noblemen. 
These  I  sought  as  models,  and  they  were  a  useful  guide 
to  me.  After  I  had  completed  my  letter  in  my  best  hand, 
and  enclosed  it  in  a  neat  envelope,  I  showed  it  to  the 
Admiral's  secretary,  who  appeared  to  be  friendly  to  me. 


236  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  179& 

He  approved  of  it,  and  advised  my  taking  it  myself  to  his 
lordship  immediately. 

As  the  schoolboy  approaches  his  master  after  having 
played  truant,  so  did  I  approach  Lord  Macartney  on  this 
occasion.  I  delivered  my  letter  to  him  ;  and,  after  hastily 
reading  it,  he  sternly  said,  "  he  could  not  interfere  in  the 
business ;  there  were  the  laws,  and  if  they  had  been 
infringed  the  parties  concerned  must  abide  the  conse- 
quence," but  added,  "  he  would  speak  to  the  collector  on 
the  subject."  This  addition,  delivered  in  rather  a  milder 
tone,  led  me  to  encourage  the  hope  that  the  affair  would 
not  end  so  disastrously  as  if  left  entirely  to  the  discretion 
of  the  collector.  Nor  were  my  hopes  unfounded,  as  the 
next  day  the  vessel  and  that  part  of  the  cargo  yet  remain- 
ing on  board  were  restored  to  me,  while  the  portion  in 
the  possession  of  the  collector  was  to  be  adjudged  in  the 
fiscal  court,  where  it  was  eventually  condemned,  to  the 
amount  of  about  two  thousand  dollars.^  The  success  of 
my  letter  was  a  theme  of  public  conversation  in  the  town, 
and  was  the  means  of  procuring  me  the  acquaintance  of 
several  individuals  of  the  first  respectability. 

The  delay  caused  by  this  controversy  with  the  collector 
was  unfavorable  to  the  views  of  the  Admiral,  ^yho  began 
to  evince  symptoms  of  impatience,  and  would  probably 
have  taken  out  the  cargo  with  his  own  men  if  we  had  not 
set  about  it  with  earnestness  as  soon  as  the  vessel  was 
released  from  seizure.  Having,  the  day  following,  com- 
pleted the  unlading,  I  delivered  the  vessel  to  the  officer 
who  was  authorized  to  take  possession.  In  two  days  after 
she  was  expedited  with  a  lieutenant  and  competent  num- 
ber of  men  (I  believe  for  India)  ;  and,  in  a  subsequent 

1  As  a  favor  to  the  merchant,  I  consented  to  share  the  loss  with  him. 


1798.  MR.  DANA'S  COMMENT.  237 

voyage,  I  learned  that  she  had  never  been  heard  of  after- 
wards. 

"Now,"  said  Uncle  Fritz,  "that  man  went  to  sea  at 
eighteen,  at  twenty-one  he  commanded  a  vessel.  See 
what  your  friend  Richard  H.  Dana  —  yes,  Two-Years- 
before-the-Mast  Dana — says  of  such  commanders.  Here 
is  a  scrap  from  his  review  of  Cleveland's  book. 

"*We  do  not  hesitate  to  say  that  an  intelligent,  firm 
young  man,  who,  at  the  age  of  eighteen  or  twenty,  after 
some  years  spent  in  receiving  an  education  on  shore, 
enters  for  the  first  time  the  nautical  service,  makes  a  long 
voyage  before  the  mast,  keeps  his  watch  and  carries  on 
duty  a  year  or  so  in  each  of  the  inferior  grades  of  office, 
by  the  help  of  his  books  and  a  close  practical  observation 
and  diligent  attention  while  master,  and  the  acquired 
habit  of  commanding  others  and  relying  upon  himself, 
will  work  a  ship  better  at  thirty  than  one  of  the  same  age 
would  do  who  was  set  adrift  at  twelve,  and  has  stayed  in 
the  forecastle  splicing  ropes  and  hauling  out  ear-rings 
until  he  was  six-and-twenty.'  " 

"That  advice,"  said  Tom  Rising,  "does  not  seem  to 
favor  Bob's  escape  from  his  tyrants  by  the  sheets  of  his 
bedroom,  and  going  a-whaling  before  he  knows  a  vulgar 
fraction  from  a  noun  predicate." 

Uncle  Fritz  laughed.  "  If  you  want  to  know  how  these 
youngsters  crossed  oceans  in  boats  with  such  assistants, 
read  what  Captain  Cleveland  wrote  at  sixty-seven  years  of 
age. 

"  *  To  the  present  sixty-eighth  year  of  my  life  I  have 
never  taken  a  drop  of  spirituous  liquor  of  any  kind ;  never 
a  glass  of  wine,  of  porter,  ale,  or  beer,  or  any  beverage 
stronger  than  tea  or  coffee ;  and,  moreover,  I  have  never 


238  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1802. 

used  tobacco  in  any  way  whatever,  and  this  not  only  with- 
out injury  but,  on  the  contrary,  to  the  preservation  of  my 
health.  Headache  is  known  to  me  by  name  only,  and, 
excepting  those  fevers  which  were  produced  by  great 
anxiety  and  excitement,  my  life  has  been  free  from  sick- 
ness.'    Now  go  on  with  your  story."     So  Tom  went  on. 

It  is  probable  that  the  officer  in  charge,  having  been 
accustomed  only  to  large  and  square-rigged  vessels,  was 
not  aware  ot  the  delicacy  of  management  which  one  so 
small  and  differently  rigged  required,  and  to  this  her  loss 
may  be  attributed. 

The  various  drawbacks  on  my  cargo,  arising  from  seizure, 
some  damage,  and  some  abatement,  reduced  the  net  pro- 
ceeds to  about  the  original  cost.  This,  with  the  amount 
of  the  vessel,  I  collected  in  Spanish  dollars,  making 
together,  after  my  various  disbursements,  the  sum  of 
eleven  thousand  dollars,  which  I  kept  in  readiness  to  em- 
bark in  the  first  vessel  that  should  enter  the  bay  on  her 
way  to  India  or  China. 

"  But,"  said  Uncle  Fritz,  "  you  must  not  suppose  that 
these  gentlemen  found  it  all  sunshine  in  such  enterprise. 
Look  further  and  you  will  find  my  mark  at  an  adventure 
Cleveland  had  in  Valparaiso.  That  will  show  you  what  is 
meant  in  our  history  by  *  Spanish  claims,'  or  claims  on 
the  Spanish  government.  It  will  show  you,  also,  how 
prompt  and  how  brave  these  adventurers  had  to  be." 

On  entering  the  Bay  of  Valparaiso  we  were  boarded  by 
a  naval  officer  from  a  guardacosta,  then  lying  in  port.  He 
desired  us  not  to  cast  anchor  till  the  captain  had  pre- 
sented himself  to  the  Governor  and  obtained  his  per- 


i8o2.  ^      YANKEE  AND  SPANIARD.  239 

mission.  Consequently,  while  Mr.  Shaler  accompanied 
this  officer  to  the  Governor,  we  lay  off  and  on  in  the  bay. 
More  than  an  hour  had  elapsed  before  his  return  with  a 
permission  to  anchor,  and  to  remain  till  a  reply  could  be 
received  from  the  Captain-General  at  Santiago  to  our 
request  for  leave  to  supply  our  wants,  for  which  a  despatch 
was  to  be  forwarded  immediately. 

We  were  surprised  to  find  no  less  than  four  American 
vessels  lying  here,  viz. :  the  ship  Hazard  of  Providence, 
on  a  voyage  similar  to  our  own,  detained  on  suspicion  of 
being  English,  from  the  circumstance  of  being  armed ; 
the  ship  Miantonomo  and  schooner  Oneco  of  Norwich, 
Conn.,  each  with  valuable  cargoes  of  seal- skins  taken  at 
the  Island  of  Masafuera,  both  detained,  and  finally  con- 
fiscated on  a  charge  of  having  supplied  English  privateers, 
then  on  the  coast,  with  provisions  which  they  had  obtained 
at  Talcahuaua  ;  and  the  ship  Tryal,  of  Nantucket,  a  whaler, 
also  detained  for  alleged  illicit,  trade.  If  we  were  surprised 
to  meet  so  many  of  our  countrymen  here,  we  were  equally 
mortified,  and  in  some  degree  alarmed  for  our  own  safety,  to 
find  them  a  '  under  seizure.  Yet,  while  we  violated  no  law, 
and  required  no  other  than  the  privileges  secured  to  us  by 
treaty,  we  could  not  believe  that  we  should  be  molested. 

On  the  third  day  after  the  Governor's  messenger  had 
been  despatched  a  reply  was  received  from  the  Captain- 
General,  the  purport  of  which  was  that  our  passage 
had  been  so  good  that  we  could  not  be  in  want  of  pro- 
visions if  we  had  provided  such  quantity  in  Europe  as  we 
ought  to  have  done.  But  if  it  were  otherwise,  and  our 
wants  were  as  urgent  as  represented,  the  mode  by  which 
we  proposed  paying  for  them,  by  a  bill  on  Paris,  was 
inadmissible ;  and,  therefore,  that  it  was  his  Excellency's 
order  that  we  should  leave  the  port  at  the  expiration  of 


240  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1802. 

twenty-four  hours  after  this  notification.  On  remonstrat- 
ing with  the  Governor,  and  pointing  out  to  him  the  inhu- 
manity of  driving  us  to  sea,  while  in  possession  of  so  small 
a  supply  of  the  first  necessaries  of  hfe,  he  very  reluctantly 
consented  to  our  remaining  another  post,  and  even  prom- 
ised to  make  a  more  favorable  report  on  the  urgency  of 
our  necessities  than  he  had  done.  But,  as  the  order  was 
reiterated,  we  doubted  his  having  performed  his  promise, 
and  therefore  determined  to  write  directly  to  the  Captain- 
General.  In  conformity  with  this  decision  Mr.  Shaler 
addressed  a  letter  to  the  Captain-General,  in  the  Spanish 
language,  expressing  his  surprise  at  the  order  for  his 
departure,  without  affording  him  the  supplies  which  were 
indispensable,  and  for  which  provision  had  been  made  by 
treaty.  *'  Presuming  that  his  Excellency's  intentions  had 
been  misconceived  by  the  Governor,  he  had  ventured  to 
disobey  the  order,  and  to  remain  in  port  till  the  reception 
of  his  Excellency's  reply."  A  prompt  and  very  polite 
answer  to  the  letter  was  received,  granting  us  permission 
to  supply  ourselves  with  everything  we  desired ;  and,  what 
was  very  extraordinary,  giving  us  further  permission,  which 
had  not  been  asked,  of  selling  so  much  of  the  cargo  as 
would  be  sufficient  to  pay  for  the  supplies.  After  which 
he  desired  we  would  leave  the  port  immediately,  and 
added  that  if  we  entered  any  other  port  on  the  coast  we 
should  be  treated  as  contrabandists. 

The  latter  paragraph  of  his  Excellency's  letter  evidently 
conveyed  a  doubt  in  his  mind  whether  our  destination 
and  the  object  of  our  voyage  was  what  we  had  stated  it  to 
be.  But,  having  subjected  ourselves  to  the  mortification 
of  having  the  correctness  of  our  statement  doubted,  there 
seemed  to  be  no  other  remedy  than  patience  and  forbear- 
ance.   At  any  rate,  our  embarrassments  were  more  entirely 


l8o2.  DON  ANTONIO.  24I 

relieved  than  we  had  anticipated.  We  procured  our  pro- 
visions and  paid  for  them  in  manufactures,  and  were 
engaged  in  settling  our  accounts  preparatory  to  our  de- 
parture on  the  morrow,  having  already  exceeded  a  month 
since  our  arrival. 

But  we  were  unconscious  of  what  a  day  would  bring 
forth,  and  entirely  unprepared  for  a  train  of  unfortunate 
events,  in  which  every  American  in  port  was  more  or  less 
involved.  It  appeared  that  a  part  of  the  cargo  of  the 
ship  Hazard  consisted  of  muskets.  These  were  demanded 
by  the  Governor,  on  pretext  of  being  contraband  of  war, 
and  were  very  properly  refused  by  Captain  Rowan,  who 
stated  to  the  Governor  that  they  were  taken  on  board  at 
a  neutral  port,  that  they  were  not  destined  to  any  port  of 
the  enemies  of  Spain,  and  that  they  did  not  come  under 
the  sixteenth  article  of  the  treaty. 

During  our  stay  here  we  had  ascertained  that  the  actual 
Governor  of  the  place  was  with  his  family  on  a  visit  to  the 
capital,  and  that  the  person  with  whom  we  had  been 
treating,  and  who  represented  here  the  Majesty  of  Spain, 
Don  Antonio  Francisco  Garcia  Carrasco,  was  an  officer  of 
inferior  grade,  acting  as  governor  during  the  absence  of  his 
superior.  Don  Antonio  was  about  sixty  years  of  age,  of 
pleasing  manners,  of  prepossessing  countenance,  and  appar- 
ently of  amiable  disposition,  but  of  no  decision  of  charac- 
ter; of  contracted  mind,  puffed  up  with  vanity,  and 
confounded  at  the  audacity  that  should  dare  to  refuse 
compliance  with  an  order  given  in  the  name  of  his  king ; 
indeed,  m  his  person,  character,  and  capacities,  there  was 
a  striking  resemblance  to  the  portrait  drawn  by  Cervantes 
of  the  celebrated  Governor  of  Barrataria. 

The  pride  of  the  Governor  was  evidently  wounded  by 
the  refusal  of  Rowan  to  obey  his  demand  of  the  muskets, 

16 


242  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1802. 

and  his  subsequent  measures  to  obtain  them  were  calcu- 
lated to  exhibit  his  folly,  and  to  increase  his  mortification 
and  hostile  feeUngs.  To  suppose,  with  his  feeble  means, 
that  he  could  coerce  a  compliance  with  his  demand,  was 
to  suppose  the  American  to  be  as  great  a  poltroon  as  him- 
self. As  far,  however,  as  the  attempt  could  prove  it,  he 
certainly  did  expect  to  do  so. 

The  troops  of  the  garrison,  about  thirty  in  number,  with 
drums  beating  and  colors  displayed,  were  seen  marching 
from  the  castle  to  the  sea-shore,  in  the  afternoon  of  the 
day  on  which  the  muskets  had  been  refused.  Rowan, 
who  was  on  the  alert,  saw  them  embark  in  a  large 
launch,  accompanied  by  the  Governor,  and  prepared  him- 
self for  resistance.  The  launch,  which  with  rowers  and 
soldiers  was  excessively  crowded,  approached  the  Hazard 
with  the  royal  colors  flying.  When  within  hail  of  the  ship 
the  Governor  stood  up,  and  demanded  if  he  might  come 
on  board.  Rowan  replied  that  he  should  be  happy  to  be 
honored  with  his  company,  but  that  he  would  not  permit 
any  one  of  his  soldiers  to  come  on  board.  The  launch 
approached  nearer  to  the  ship,  to  enable  the  parties  to 
converse  with  more  ease.  The  Governor  again  fonnally 
demanded  the  surrender  of  the  arms,  and  was  again  refused. 
He  remonstrated,  and  urged  the  consequences  of  resisting 
the  authority  of  the  King's  representative.  But  it  was  all 
unavaihng,  and  perceiving  that  neither  threats  nor  per- 
suasion had  the  desired  effect,  that  armed  sentries  were 
stationed  at  the  gangways  of  the  ship,  and  the  proper  pre- 
cautions taken  against  a  coup  de  main^  he  returned  to  the 
shore  with  his  soldiers,  deeply  mortified,  excessively  irri- 
tated, and  vowing  vengeance. 

But  it  is  not  unusual  that  what  is  done  in  the  moment 
of  great  excitement  is  not  of  the  most  judicious  character. 


l8o2.  ARRESTED.  243 

and  that  by  suffering  ourselves  to  be  controlled  by  our 
passions,  we  commit  acts  which  increase  the  absurdity  of 
a  ridiculous  position,  and  augment  our  embarrassments. 
This  was  precisely  the  case  with  the  Governor,  in  this 
instance.  Without  adverting  to  consequences,  but  influ- 
enced by  the  violence  of  his  passion,  he,  immediately  on 
landing,  ordered  every  American  who  could  be  found  on 
shore  to  be  arrested  and  shut  up  in  the  castle.  Shaler, 
Rouissillon,  and  myself,  being  of  this  number,  were  accord- 
ingly arrested,  and,  with  four  others  of  our  countrymen, 
were  marched  to  prison  in  charge  of  a  file  of  soldiers,  who 
by  their  conversation  during  the  time,  evinced  that  their 
feelings  were  in  unison  with  those  of  the  Governor. 

At  the  same  time  with  the  order  for  our  arrest,  and  as 
if  to  consummate  his  folly,  the  Governor  made  another 
attempt  to  intimidate,  by  ordering  the  captain  of  a  large 
Spanish  ship,  which  mounted  eighteen  heavy  guns  betwixt 
decks,  to  bring  his  broadside  to  bear  on  the  Hazard,  and 
order  her  colors  to  be  hauled  down  in  token  of  submission, 
on  penalty  of  being  sunk.  After  what  had  occurred,  to 
make  such  a  threat,  without  daring  to  take  the  responsibility 
of  executing  it,  served  only  to  increase  the  awkwardness  of 
the  Governor's  position.  While  all,  both  on  shore  and 
on  board  the  shipping,  were  watching  with  intense  interest 
the  result  of  this  threat,  a  man  was  observed  on  board 
the  Hazard  engaged  in  nailing  the  colors  to  the  mast.  A 
more  significant  reply  could  not  possibly  be  made.  The 
Governor  was  foiled,  and  a  calm  succeeded  the  storm, 
during  the  time  required  to  despatch  a  courier  to  the 
Captain-General,  and  to  receive  his  instructions  in  the 
case. 

Our  arrest  prevented  our  sailing,  as  we  intended  to  do, 
the  same  evening.     Having  passed  a  most  uncomfortable 


244  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE,  1802. 

night,  without  beds,  in  the  castle,  where  we  were  annoyed 
by  myriads  of  fleas,  and  having  been  without  food  of  any 
kind  since  noon  of  the  preceding  day,  we  wrote  to  the 
Governor  in  the  morning,  requesting  to  be  provided  wilh 
food  and  beds.  Our  letter  was  returned  unopened  ;  but 
about  noon,  by  a  verbal  message  from  the  Governor,  we 
were  informed  that  liberty  was  given  us  to  go  on  board  our 
respective  ships.  We  were  doubtful  of  the  propriety  of 
availing  ourselves  of  this  liberty,  so  ungraciously  proffered, 
till  an  apology  should  be  made  to  us  for  the  aggression.  It 
was  finally  settled  that  Shaler,  being  the  most  important 
person,  as  master  of  the  vessel,  should  remain  in  prison. 
We  therefore  sent  to  him  a  bed  and  provisions.  This  was 
a  determination  for  which  the  Governor  was  entirely  unpre- 
pared, and  which  seemed  to  confound  him.  With  char- 
acteristic imbecility,  he  went  to  the  castle,  and  greeting 
Mr.  Shaler  with  apparent  cordiality,  begged  him  to  go  on 
board  his  vessel,  and  proceed  to  sea.  This  Shaler  offered 
to  do,  on  condition  of  receiving  a  written  apology  for  im- 
prisoning us.  He  declined  giving  it.  Permission  was 
then  asked  to  send  an  express  with  a  letter  to  the  Captain- 
General.  This  he  peremptorily  and  angrily  refused,  and 
then  suddenly  started  off  to  superintend  the  preparations 
which  he  was  making  to  compel  a  surrender  of  the  Hazard, 
the  orders  for  which  he  expected  to  receive  the  next  day. 
Although  the  ostensible  reason  for  refusing  a  compliance 
with  the  Governor's  orders  to  go  to  sea  was  to  obtain  sat- 
isfaction, yet  the  real  cause  of  our  delay  was  the  hope  and 
belief  of  being  able  to  render  essential  service  in  aiding  to 
extricate  Rowan  from  his  difficulties.  It  was  evident  that 
the  Governor  desired  only  the  sanction  of  the  Captain- 
General  to  attempt  coercion ;  and,  in  expectation  of 
receiving  it,  he  was  making  the  requisite  preparations. 


i8o2.  THE   GOVERNOR'S  PLANS.  245 

The  soldiers  of  the  garrison,  and  the  populace,  were  busily 
engaged,  under  the  direction  of  the  Governor,  in  placing 
cannon  in  every  direction  to  bear  on  the  ship.  The  inhab- 
itants of  the  houses  in  the  vicinity  left  them,  and  retired 
to  the  hills.  The  activity  and  bustle  of  business  had  given 
place  to  the  preparation  and  excitement  of  war,  and  the 
confusion  and  apprehension  could  hardly  have  been 
exceeded  if  the  town  had  been  on  the  point  of  being 
taken  by  assault. 

While  Mr.  Rouissillon  and  myself  were  walking  through 
one  of  the  streets  we  encountered  the  Governor,  who 
saluted  us,  and  asked  me  if  I  was  not  next  in  command  on 
board  to  Mr.  Shaler.  Answering  in  the  affirmative,  he 
ordered  me  to  go  on  board,  and  proceed  to  sea.  On  my 
rejoining  that  I  could  not  go  without  my  captain,  he 
threatened  to  seize  the  vessel,  and  without  waiting  for  a 
reply,  left  us  abruptly,  and  apparently  in  an  angry  mood. 
In  the  course  of  the  following  day,  being  the  fourth  from 
the  beginning  of  hostilities,  the  express  arrived  from  San- 
tiago, bringing  a  letter  to  Captain  Rowan  from  the  Cap- 
tain-General. It  contained  such  promise  of  redress,  if  he 
would  comply  with  the  requisitions  of  government  by  de- 
livering up  the  arms,  that  he  was  induced  to  yield.  The 
arms  were  accordingly  delivered  to  the  order  of  the  Gov- 
ernor, and  his  receipt  taken  for  them.  The  portentous 
cloud,  which  had  been  lowering  over  the  affairs  of  our 
countrymen  in  this  place,  appeared  to  be  now  dissipated. 
The  colors  of  defiance,  which  had  been  waving  on  the 
ships  and  at  the  castle  from  the  beginning  of  the  dispute, 
were  hauled  down ;  the  cannon  which  had  been  trans- 
ported to  the  beach  were  returned  to  their  ancient  posi- 
tion ;  the  sentries  were  no  longer  seen  at  the  gangways  of 
the  Hazard  j  the  old  women  and  children  returned  to 


246  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1802. 

their  habitations;  and  everything  indicated  peace  and 
repose. 

This  repose,  however,  was  only  the  treacherous  calm 
that  precedes  the  hurricane.  The  Governor  could  not 
brook  the  indignity  he  had  suffered.  The  vengeance  he 
had  vowed,  and  which  he  had  not  the  courage  to  take 
openly,  he  determined  to  execute  treacherously ;  and  his 
measures,  which  were  taken  with  great  secrecy,  and  with 
the  stimulus  of  plunder,  were  executed  with  such  success 
as  must  have  satisfied  his  highest  ambition,  and  served  as 
a  balm  to  his  wounded  feelings. 

On  the  evening  of  the  day  when  the  muskets  were  sur- 
rendered, Mr.  Rouissillon  and  myself  made  a  visit  to  the 
Governor,  and  found  him  to  be  as  affable  and  pleasant  as 
was  naturally  to  be  expected  on  attaining  the  object  of 
which  he  had  so  long  been  in  pursuit.  He  hoped  we 
should  proceed  to  sea  the  next  day,  and  inquired  why 
Rowan  did  not  come  on  shore ;  adding,  to  our  surprise, 
that  if  he  did  not  come  voluntarily  he  should  use  coer- 
cion. We  assured  him  of  our  belief  that  his  not  having 
been  on  shore  that  day  was  accidental,  and  not  from  any 
apprehension  of  molestation,  begged  him  not  to  think  of 
coercion,  and  offered  our  guarantee  that  he  should  pre- 
sent himself  at  the  castle  in  the  morning.  On  leaving  the 
Governor  we  went  on  board  the  Hazard  and  reported 
to  Rowan  our  conversation  with  the  Governor.  He  had 
no  hesitation  in  determining  to  act  in  accordance  with  his 
desire  by  visiting  him  as  early  as  it  was  permitted  strangers 
to  be  on  shore. 

BOARDING  THE  HAZARD. 
Fearing,  in  this  instance,  a  too  ready  compliance,  in 
which  case  the  opportunity  for  revenge  would  escape  him, 


i8o2.  BOARDING    THE  HAZARD.  247 

the  Governor  must  have  had  everything  planned  and  pre- 
pared in  the  evening,  probably  while  we  were  with  him,  to 
execute  his  cowardly  design  in  the  morning,  before  it  was 
permitted  to  Rowan  to  come  on  shore.  The  launches, 
which  were  used  to  transport  wheat  from  the  shore  to  the 
large  ship  before  mentioned,  passed  and  repassed  near  the 
Hazard  while  thus  engaged;  consequently,  they  would 
excite  no  suspicion  when  approaching  the  ship.  An  enter- 
prize  involving  so  little  risk,  and  which  promised  so  golden 
a  harvest  of  plunder,  had  not  to  wait  for  the  requisite  imm- 
ber  of  men.  About  two  hundred  ruffians,  armed  with  pis- 
tols, swords,  and  knives,  embarked  in  the  launches  used 
for  carrying  wheat,  and  boarded  the  Hazard  on  each 
side,  while  her  men  were  entirely  off  their  guard,  unsus- 
picious of  any  cause  of  hostility.  To  save  their  lives,  such 
of  the  crew  as  were  able  made  a  hasty  retreat  to  the  hold. 
But  there  were  two  poor  fellows  lying  sick  in  their  ham- 
mocks, and  these  were  both  dangerously  wounded.  Rowan 
was  screened  from  the  vengeance  of  the  banditti  by  the 
interference  of  an  officer,  taken  immediately  on  shore,  and 
sent  to  the  castle. 

The  scene  of  plunder  and  confusion  which  ensued  beg- 
gars all  description.  Perceiving  that  the  mischief  was 
likely  to  be  more  extensive  than  he  had  imagined,  the 
Governor  went  on  board  with  a  party  of  soldiers  to  arrest 
its  progress.  But  he  soon  discovered  that  it  is  easier  to 
set  a  mob  in  motion  than  to  control  it  afterwards.  With 
his  utmost  efforts,  aided  by  the  soldiers,  and  by  the  com- 
mandant of  the  custom-house  guards  and  his  satellites,  he 
was  incapable  of  resisting  the  progress  of  the  plunderers, 
until,  being  satiated,  they  retreated  with  their  booty  to  the 
shore  as  opportunity  offered.  When  there  were  but  few 
remaining  he  succeeded  in  driving  them  away,  and  placed 
the  ship  in  charge  of  the  mates. 


248  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1802. 


CALL  ON  THE  GOVERNOR. 

After  such  an  achievement,  such  a  gathering  of  laurels, 
there  was  some  hazard  to  a  foreigner  in  calling  on  the 
Governor,  even  though  it  were  to  compHment  him.  But, 
being  determined  that  the  Captain- General  should  have 
our  version  of  the  transaction,  I  called  on  him  at  noon  for 
leave  to  send  an  express  to  the  capital  to  complain  of  the 
outrage,  and  to  demand  that  redress  there  which  we  asked 
in  vain  here.  In  an  angry  tone,  and  instead  of  replying 
to  my  request,  he  inquired  if  we  were  desirous  of  provok- 
ing him  to  serve  us  in  the  manner  he  had  done  the  ship. 
I  replied  that  I  hoped  there  was  no  danger  of  our  causing 
him  any  provocation,  but  should  it  be  our  misfortune  to 
do  so  to  the  extent  intimated,  there  could  exist  no  cause 
for  such  violent  measures  as  had  been  used  towards  the 
ship,  as  no  resistance  would  be  made.  I  then  remarked 
on  the  advantage  that  would  result  to  the  government  in 
keeping  away  the  rabble,  and  thus  securing  the  whole 
property.  I  stated,  also,  that  there  were  many  valuable 
instruments,  charts,  and  books  on  board  which  would  be 
useful  to  the  Spanish  marine,  but  which  might  be  de- 
stroyed if,  as  he  suggested,  "  he  served  us  in  the  manner 
he  had  done  the  ship  "  ;  and  I  repeated  a  hope  that  he 
would  not  do  so.  Seeing  that  I  was  not  to  be  intimidated, 
and  was,  moreover,  determined  not  to  go  to  sea  without 
communicating  with  the  Captain-General,  he  at  length 
reluctantly  consented  to  our  sending  an  express.  .  .  . 

LETTERS. 

The  letter  written  by  Mr.  Shaler  in  Spanish,  and  com- 
plaining of  the  outrageous  conduct  of  the  Governor  to  the 


fSca.  WAIT  ON  THE  GOVERNOR.  249 

unoffending  citizens  of  a  friendly  power,  was  sent  by  a 
courier.  It  produced  an  interchange  of  several  letters,  the 
purport  of  which  was,  on  one  side,  to  deny  the  right  of 
any  foreign  vessel  to  traverse  these  seas,  which,  his  Excel- 
lency said,  like  the  territory,  belonged  exclusively  to  his 
Catholic  Majesty ;  on  the  other,  to  refute  the  absurd  doc- 
trine of  any  nation's  possessing  an  exclusive  right  to  any 
particular  sea,  and  giving  chapter  and  verse  in  the  treaty, 
not  only  for  our  right  to  sail  where  we  please,  but  to  enter 
their  ports  and  demand  succor.  His  Excellency  closed 
the  correspondence  by  expressing  a  hope  that  if  we  did 
not  admit  their  exclusive  right  to  these  seas,  we  would,  at 
least,  allow  them  to  be  masters  in  their  own  ports.  .  .  . 

WAIT   ON   THE   GOVERNOR. 

Having  assisted  in  bringing  Rowan's  affairs  into  such 
a  train  as  promised  a  speedy  and  satisfactory  adjustment, 
there  existed  no  farther  inducement  to  remain  longer  in 
port.  Accordingly,  having  settled  our  various  accounts  of 
disbursements,  Mr.  Shaler,  accompanied  by  Mr.  Rouissil- 
lon,  waited  on  the  Governor  to  notify  him  of  his  intention 
to  proceed  to  sea  next  morning,  and  to  take  leave.  He 
received  them  with  great  cordiality,  expressed  much  regret 
at  what  had  occurred,  promised  to  remedy  the  mischief  as 
far  as  he  was  able,  offered  us  every  facility  in  his  power  to 
insure  our  departure  at  the  time  appointed,  and,  though 
it  would  not  have  been  surprising  if  he  had  wished  us  to 
the  devil,  on  the  contrary,  wished  us  a  good  voyage. 

There  was  a  number  of  our  unfortunate  countrymen  m 
port,  principally  the  crews  of  the  condemned  vessels,  who 
had  lost  their  little  all,  and  whose  situation  excited  com- 
miseration.   We  knew  that  if  they  could  get  to  Masafuera 


250  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1802. 

with  the  provisions  they  could  obtain  here,  they  would,  by 
pursuing  their  vocation,  soon  bring  up  arrears.  We  deter- 
mined, therefore,  to  go  so  far  out  of  our  way  as  to  give 
them  all  passages  thither.  They  all  very  gratefully  ac- 
cepted our  invitation.  Being  ready  on  the  21st  of  April, 
and  on  the  point  of  leaving  the  port,  a  message  was 
brought  from  the  Governor,  requesting  to  see  Mr.  Shaler. 
He  went  immediately  to  him,  and  found,  to  his  astonish- 
ment, that  he  wanted  him  to  defer  his  departure  a  few 
days.  It  appeared  that  some  suspicious  or  malicious  per- 
son had  suggested  to  this  silly  governor  that  our  object  in 
taking  so  many  men  on  board  was  to  capture  the  large 
ship,  then  on  the  point  of  sailing  for  Lima.  To  guard 
against  this,  he  begged  Mr.  Shaler  to  defer  sailing  till 
forty-eight  hours  after  that  ship  had  sailed,  and,  moreover, 
hoped  we  would  not  revenge  ourselves  on  any  unarmed 
Spanish  vessel  we  might  chance  to  meet.  .  .  . 

QUICKSILVER. 

The  time  we  had  agreed  to  wait  had  not  quite  expired 
when  we  were  all  taken  aback  again.  It  appeared  that 
one  of  our  sailors,  an  Irishman,  who  had  deserted,  had 
given  information  that  we  had  many  kegs  of  dollars  on 
board,  stowed  under  the  ballast.  As  he  had  pointed  out 
precisely  where  they  were,  an  armed  force  came  on  board 
by  order  of  the  Governor,  and,  proceeding  directly  to  the 
place  indicated  by  the  sailor,  found,  instead  of  kegs  of 
dollars,  kegs  of  quicksilver,  of  which  they  took  away  four, 
giving  a  receipt  for  them. 

We  flattered  ourselves  that  this  aggression  would  be  the 
means  of  opening  the  way  for  our  going  to  the  capital. 
Renewing,  therefore,  our  correspondence  with  the  Cap- 


i802.  TAKING  LEAVE.  25 1 

tain-General,  to  complain  of  this  outrage,  and  remarking 
on  our  entire  want  of  confidence  in  the  capacity  or  hon- 
esty of  the  Governor  and  his  advisers,  we  reiterated  our 
request  for  leave  to  repair  to  Santiago  for  the  more  speedy 
adjustment  of  our  grievance.  In  reply,  his  Excellency 
remarked  on  the  loss  of  time  which  our  coming  to  San- 
tiago would  cause,  and  observed  that  the  difficulty  could 
be  easily  adjusted  at  Valparaiso  by  answering  satisfactorily 
the  following  questions,  viz. :  Why  was  the  quicksilver 
hidden  under  the  ballast?  To  whom  does  it  belong? 
To  what  port  destined?  These  interrogatories,  being 
solemnly  propounded  by  the  Governor  to  Mr.  Shaler,  a 
notary  pubHc  being  present,  he  replied  to  the  first  that  it 
was  not  hidden ;  to  the  second,  that  it  belonged  to  the 
owners  of  the  vessel  and  cargo  ;  to  the  third,  that  its  des- 
tination was  round  the  world ;  and  to  this  deposition  he 
took  an  oath  on  an  odd  volume  of  Shakespeare,  presented 
him  by  the  Governor  for  that  purpose. 

The  result  of  this  investigation  was  immediately  de- 
spatched to  the  Captain- General,  and  an  answer  returned 
by  his  Excellency  with  the  least  possible  delay,  the  pur- 
port of  which  was  that  the  four  kegs  of  quicksilver  should 
be  restored  to  us  on  board,  and  that  we  should  then  leave 
the  port  without  further  delay.  .  .  .  During  this  contro- 
versy, the  men  whom  we  intended  taking  to  Masafuera 
had  dispersed  in  various  directions,  so  that  having  on 
board  only  our  original  small  complement  of  men,  the 
authorities  had  no  cause  to  apprehend  any  acts  of  piracy 
from  us. 

TAKING  LEAVE. 

The  functions  of  Don  Antonio  as  Governor  ad  interim 
having  ceased  on  the  arrival  of  his  senior  from  Santiago, 


252  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE,  1802. 

when  we  were  on  the  point  of  sailing,  we  made  him  a  visit 
as  soon  after  his  arrival  as  etiquette  would  permit.  He 
gave  us  a  most  cordial,  frank,  and  friendly  reception,  and 
expressed  much  regret  at  having  been  absent  on  our  arri- 
val ;  as,  he  said,  not  only  would  the  trouble  we  had  expe- 
rienced have  been  avoided,  but  he  would  have  obtained 
permission  for  us  to  visit  Santiago.  The  order  for  our  de- 
parture, however,  being  now  given  by  the  Captain- Gen- 
eral, was  irrevocable,  and  he  therefore  hoped  there  would 
be  no  further  delay.  On  taking  leave  he  inundated  us 
with  civilities  and  good  wishes,  promising,  moreover,  to 
use  his  best  endeavors  to  bring  the  affair  of  our  unfortunate 
countryman.  Rowan,  to  a  speedy  and  satisfactory  conclu- 
sion. These  civilities,  professions,  and  promises  passed 
with  us  for  no  more  than  they  were  worth,  after  the  ob- 
servations our  opportunities  had  afforded  us  of  judging 
of  the  character  and  motives  of  action  of  the  authorities 
here. 

It  was  now  the  6th  of  May,  being  two  and  a  half  months 
from  the  date  of  our  arrival,  —  a  long  time,  considering  that 
we  were  allowed  only  twenty-four  hours  by  the  Captain- 
General  to  remain  in  port ;  and  for  the  third  time  had  set- 
tled our  accounts,  and  made  all  ready  for  our  departure. 
No  further  obstacle  to  our  sailing  occurring,  and  having 
taken  leave  of  our  acquaintance  and  countrymen,  we  left 
Valparaiso  to  the  great  satisfaction  of  the  Governor  and 
authorities,  no  less  than  of  ourselves. 

"  Another  such  book,"  said  Uncle  Fritz,  "  is  Captain 
Bennett  Forbes's  account  of  his  reminiscences.  But  as 
you  are  all  Boston  bred,  I  suppose  you  have  all  seen 
that." 

And  it  proved  that  they  had. 


XI. 

THE  NORTHWEST. 

"  T  T^CLE  FRITZ,  you  spoke  of  Jefferson  as  a  geogra- 

^^      pher  or  naturalist." 

"  Oh,  yes,"  said  Uncle  Fritz,  "when  he  was  in  France 
he  was  a  great  deal  with  the  philosophical  set,  who  all 
thought  that  if  people  knew  the  length  of  a  degree  of  the 
meridian,  and  could  rightly  analyze  water,  all  would  be 
well." 

"  They  should  learn  Dr.  Watts,"  said  Esther. 

"  Dr.  Watts  !     Frenchmen  learn  Dr.  Watts  ?  " 

"  Why,  Dr.  Watts  implies  that  knowing  is  not  quite 
enough.     Don't  you  remember? 

'  Who  know  what 's  right,  not  only  so, 
But  2\%o  practise  what  they  know.'  " 

And  Esther  gave  a  very  funny  emphasis  and  accent  to 
"practise,"  just  as  she  said  Mr.  Ockley,  the  Sunday- 
school  teacher  at  North  Holderness,  did. 

Uncle  Fritz,  not  displeased  with  the  comment,  went  on 
to  say  that  some  of  Jefferson's  worst  follies  and  some  of 
his  most  sensible  enterprises  were  dictated  by  his  wish  to 
be  called  a  philosopher.  "  Of  the  whole  set  of  the  phi- 
losophers whom  he  used  to  meet  in  the  society  of  Paris, 
about  the  time  when  the  French  Revolution  was  brewing, 
he  only  came  to  an  important  post  of  power. 


254  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1881. 

"One  of  his  theories  was  peaceful  war.  He  thought 
that  the  United  States  could  starve  Europe  into  sub- 
mission, if  he  cut  off  all  trade.  But  alas  !  It  was  the 
United  States  which  starved,  and  Europe  did  not  know 
that  anything  was  happening. 

"  Then  he  had  a  plan  for  keeping  his  navy  on  land,  and 
carrying  it  about  in  carts  wherever  the  enemy  might  attack. 
But  this  never  worked  well. 

"  But  he  wrote  an  interesting  book  on  the  resources  of 
Virginia,  —  he  was  president  of  the  Philosophical  Society, 
and  when  you  go  and  visit  Mary  Lesley,  at  Philadelphia, 
she  will  take  you  to  the  library,  and  show  you  no  end  of 
curious  things  in  the  archives,  which  have  to  do  with 
him. 

"  I  have  a  copy  of  a  letter  which  he  wrote  to  our  old 
friend,  Phil.  Nolan,  when  he  was  hunting  wild  horses  in 
Texas.  His  namesake,  Mr.  Joseph  Jefferson,  was  kind 
enough  to  hunt  that  up  for  me  in  the  State  Department 
at  Washington. 

"  Philip  Nolan  was  the  first  person  to  bring  back  to  the 
United  States  any  accurate  knowledge  of  the  wonderful 
resources  of  Texas.  The  Spaniards  caught  him  there, 
violated  their  own  safeguard,  and  killed  him  in  1801. 
That  is  probably  the  reason  why  we  have  no  answer  to 
Mr.  Jefferson's  letter  to  him. 

"  Then,  when  Jefferson  was  well  established  in  the  presi- 
dency, he  determined  to  find  what  there  was  between  the 
Mississippi  and  the  Pacific.  Nobody  who  had  left  any  reli- 
able account  had  ever  gone  across  in  the  regions  north  of 
Mexico. 

"  If  you  will  look  in  the  Popular  History  again,"  said 
Uncle  Fritz,  "  where  you  were  looking  when  we  had  the 
Coronado  reading,  you  will  find  how  four  poor  fellows  of 


l804.  LEWIS  AND  CLARKE.  255 

Narvaez's  expedition  straggled  across  from  the  gulf,  slaves 
most  of  the  time  to  Indians,  in  the  years  following  1528. 
But  after  them  there  was  no  authentic  account  of  any 
passage. 

"  It  is  odd  enough,"  continued  Uncle  Fritz,  "  that  every 
cyclopaedia,  till  within  a  few  years,  says  that  Carver,  who 
went  from  here  to  Lake  Superior  in  1768,  went  to  the 
Pacific.  You  will  find  that  in  the  earlier  editions  of  Apple- 
ton.  So  the  old  French  cyclopaedias  say  that  Chateau- 
briand, in  1792,  went  to  the  Pacific.  In  truth,  he  never 
went  beyond  the  Red  River  of  Louisiana.  Lewis  and 
Clarke  were  the  first  men  to  cross  the  Rocky  Mountains 
and  back,  from  the  Mississippi  to  the  Pacific. 

"You  see  that  as  long  ago  as  1792,  in  that  very  fur- 
trade  of  which  Captain  Cleveland  gives  you  some  account, 
Robert  Gray,  from  Salem,  here  in  the  ship  Columbia, 
discovered  the  Columbia  River.  He  sailed  up,  gave  his 
vessel's  name  to  it,  and  on  that  discovery,  in  a  consider- 
able measure,  rested,  at  one  time,  our  claim  to  Oregon. 
Jefferson  selected  two  captains  from  the  army,  Meriwether 
Lewis  and  George  Clarke,  and  bade  them  organize  an 
expedition  to  find  this  same  Columbia  River  and  descend 
to  the  sea.  This  they  did  in  the  years  1804,  1805,  and 
1806.  You  see,  there  were  as  yet  no  steamboats.  They 
had  to  row,  sail,  and  tow,  on  their  way  up  the  Missouri,  till 
they  came  to  the  mountains.  Slow  work  it  was,  to  be  sure. 
Then  they  bought  horses  from  the  Indians  and  crossed 
the  passes,  —  in  the  same  regions  where  the  Northern 
Pacific  Railroad  was  built  in  our  own  time,  —  and  to  them 
are  due  the  names  of  Lewis's  River  and  Clarke's  River, 
the  two  branches  which  unite  in  the  Columbia  River. 

"  When  they  came  back,  they  had  not  been  heard  from 
for  more  than  two  years. 


256  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1814. 

"This  was  the  beginning  of  a  series  of  government 
explorations  which  have  lasted  till  our  time.  The  authori- 
ties at  Washington  publish  every  year  valuable  reports  of 
their  agents  in  the  Ethnological  Department,  in  the 
Irrigation  Department,  and  in  the  Alaskan  Department. 
Keep  your  eyes  on  these  reports.  They  do  not  get  into 
book  stores,  but  are  distributed  with  great  liberality  at 
Washington  to  any  persons  who  are  interested.  Of  all 
the  books  made  out  of  the  journals  of  those  explorations, 
Irving's  "  Astoria "  and  "  Captain  Bonneville "  are  the 
most  entertaining.  Later  down  Francis  Parkman's  book, 
when  he  spent  a  summer  with  the  Sioux,  is  charming.* 
Fremont  is  very  entertaining.  There  are  several  of  his 
reports. 

"  Suppose  we  try  the  Great  Northwest.  That  is  a 
country  which,  before  Fulton  invented  the  steamboat, 
seemed  so  useless  that  we  almost  lost  it  at  the  treaty  of 
Ghent  by  the  mere  indifference  of  our  own  negotiators. 

"  It  was  our  dear  old  John  Quincy  Adams  who  hung 
on.  He  hated  the  English  so  that  he  would  not  let  them 
have  even  a  wilderness  if  he  could  help  it." 

Then  Uncle  Fred  asked  Clement  to  bring  him  the 
third  volume  of  Adams's  Memoirs,^  and  he  showed  Clem, 
some  of  his  marks  at  passages  in  the  negotiation  of  the 
treaty  of  1814  with  England. 

"Mr.  Gallatin  told  them  that  if  they  considered  the  re- 
mainder of  the  article,  the  forty-ninth  parallel  of  latitude,  an 
equivalent,  he  wished  them  to  understand  that  we  attached 
no  importance  to  it  at  all.  It  would,  indeed,  be  a  con- 
venience to  have  the  boundary  settled  ;  but  the  lands  there 
were  of  so  little  value,  and  the  period  when  tliey  might  be 

1  The  Oregon  Trail. 

"  Memoirs  of  John  Quincy  Adams. 


1823.  COLONEL  LONG,  257 

settled  so  remote,  that  we  were  perfectly  willing  that  the 
boundary  there  should  remain  as  it  is  now,  and  without 
any  further  arrangement." 

"  Why,  Uncle  Fritz,  it  was  the  State  of  Minnesota  which 
Gallatin  says  was  of  so  little  value,"  said  Bedford,  who 
was  on  the  floor,  with  Colton's  Atlas  open. 

"  To  be  sure  it  was,  my  boy.  But  please  think  what 
the  State  of  Minnesota  would  be  without  steamboats  and 
without  railroads.  And  even  in  1814,  even  Mr.  Gallatin 
did  not  dream  of  what  steamboats  were  to  do. 

"  But  the  steamboat  was  already  pushing  its  nose  into 
every  river  of  the  West.  And  nine  years  after  that  remark 
of  Mr.  Gallatin,  Col.  Long  was  sent  up  there  to  see 
where  the  new  boundary  —  which  is  our  present  boun- 
dary of  49°  north  latitude  —  would  run.  The  old  boun- 
dary of  the  first  treaty  had  proved  quite  impossible, 
because  the  Mississippi  did  not  rise  where  they  thought 
it  did." 

"And  with  Col.  Long,"  said  Col.  Ingham,  "your 
readings  connect  with  Uncle  Fritz.  For  this  same  Col. 
Long  afterwards  was  interested  in  railroads,  and  invented 
a  locomotive  which  should  bum  hard  coal,  —  anthracite. 
When  I  was  a  boy,  Mr.  Hale  bought  one  of  these  engines 
for  the  Boston  and  Worcester  Railroad.  Those  were  days, 
Bedford,  when  a  good-natured  boy  had  more  rights  than 
he  has  now,  and  rules  and  regulations  were  not  so  many. 
I  used  to  be  a  good  deal  at  the  railroad  station  in 
Washington  Street,  and  more  than  once  have  I  coaxed  a 
good-natured  engine-driver  to  give  me  a  ride  on  *Col. 
Long,'  as  we  always  called  his  engine.  What  her  real 
name  was  I  have  forgotten. 

"But  Laura  did  not  come  here  to  hear  stories  about 
locomotives;   she  is  all  ready  to  read." 

17 


258  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1823 

And  Laura  read  from  the  narrative  of  an  expedition  tc 
the  source  of  St.  Peter's  River. 


PLAN  OF  THE   PARTY. 

The  success  which  attended  the  expedition  to  the 
Rocky  Mountains,  and  the  important  information  which  it 
imparted  concerning  the  nature  of  the  valley  drained  by 
the  Missouri  and  its  tributaries,  of  which  nothing  was 
known  but  what  had  been  observed  by  Lewis  and  Clarke, 
induced  the  Government  of  the  United  States  to  continue 
its  endeavors  to  explore  the  unknown  wilds  within  its 
limits.  The  first  object  which  appeared  to  it  deserving  of 
investigation  was  the  district  of  country  bounded  by  the 
Missouri,  the  Mississippi,  and  the  northern  boundary  of 
the  United  States. 

Accordingly  it  was  determined  in  the  spring  of  1823, 
by  the  executive,  that  an  expedition  be  immediately  fitted 
out  for  exploring  the  river  St.  Peter's  and  the  country 
situated  on  our  northern  boundary  between  the  Red  River 
of  Hudson's  Bay  and  Lake  Superior. 

The  command  of  the  expedition  was  intrusted  to  Major 
S.  H.  Long,  and  he  received  orders  from  the  War  Depart- 
ment, dated  April  25,  1823,  from  which  the  following  is 
taken  :  — 

"  The  route  of  the  expedition  will  be  as  follows  :  com- 
mencing at  Philadelphia,  thence  proceeding  to  Wheeling 
in  Virginia,  thence  to  Chicago  via  Fort  Wayne,  thence  to 
Fort  Armstrong  or  Dubuque's  Lead  Mines,  thence  up  the 
Mississippi  to  Fort  Anthony,  thence  to  the  source  of  the 
St.  Peter's  River,  thence  to  the  point  of  intersection 
between  Red  River  and  the  forty-ninth  degree  of  north 
latitude,  thence  along  the  northern  boundary  of  the  United 


1823.  THE  MOUNDS.  259 

States  to  Lake  Superior,  and  thence  homeward  by  the 
lakes. 

"The  object  of  the  expedition  is  to  make  a  general 
Survey  of  the  country  on  the  route  pointed  out,  together 
with  a  topographical  description  of  the  same,  to  ascertain 
the  latitude  and  longitude  of  all  the  remarkable  points,  to 
examine  and  describe  its  productions,  animal,  vegetable, 
and  mineral,  and  to  inquire  into  the  character,  customs, 
etc.,  of  the  Indian  tribes  inhabiting  the  same."  .  .  . 

The  party  travelled  in  light  carriages  from  Philadelphia 
to  Wheeling,  where  they  disposed  of  them  and  purchased 
horses  in  exchange.  The  usual  route  through  Lancaster, 
Columbia,  York,  and  Gettysburg,  was  travelled.  Here 
they  left  the  Pittsburg  turnpike  road  and  reached  Hagers- 
town  in  Maryland  by  a  cross  road ;  from  Hagerstown  they 
continued  along  the  Maryland  turnpike  road  to  Cumber- 
land, where  it  unites  with  the  national  road,  upon  which 
they  travelled  to  Wheeling.  .  .  . 

The  country  about  the  Muskingum  appears  to  have 
been  at  a  former  period  the  seat  of  a  very  extensive 
aboriginal  population.  Everywhere  do  we  observe  in  this 
valley  remains  of  works  which  attest  at  the  same  time  the 
number,  the  genius,  and  the  perseverance  of  those  de- 
parted nations.  Their  works  have  survived  the  lapse  of 
ages,  but  the  spirit  which  prompted  them  has  disappeared. 
We  wander  over  the  face  of  the  country ;  wherever  we  go 
we  mark  the  monuments  which  they  have  erected;  we 
would  interrogate  them  as  to  the  authors  of  these  mighty 
works,  but  no  voice  replies  to  ours  save  that  of  the  echo. 
The  mind  seeks  in  vain  for  some  clew  to  assist  it  in  un- 
ravelling the  mystery.  Was  their  industry  stimulated  by 
the  desire  of  protecting  themselves  against  the  inroads  of 
invaders,  or  were  they  themselves  the  trespassers?   did 


26o  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE,  1823. 

they  migrate  to  this  spot,  and  if  so,  whence  came  they? 
who  were  they?  where  went  they?  and  wherefore  came 
they  here  ?  Their  works  have  been  torn  open ;  they  have 
been  searched  into,  but  all  in  vain.  The  mound  is  now 
levelled  with  the  sod  of  the  valley ;  the  accumulated  earth, 
which  was  perhaps  collected  from  a  distance  into  one 
immense  mass  to  erect  a  monument,  deemed  indestructible, 
over  the  remains  of  some  western  Pharaoh,  is  now  scat- 
tered over  the  ground  so  that  its  concealed  treasure  may 
be  brought  to  light.  Every  bone  is  accurately  examined, 
every  piece  of  metal  or  fragment  of  broken  pottery  is 
curiously  studied ;  still  no  light  has  as  yet  been  thrown 
upon  the  name  and  date  of  the  once  populous  nation 
which  formerly  flourished  on  the  banks  of  the  numerous 
tributary  streams  of  the  Ohio. 

Such  were  the  reflections  suggested  to  us  by  our  visit  to 
the  numerous  mounds  and  Indian  works  which  abound  in 
this  part  of  the  country,  the  first  of  which  we  observed  in 
the  small  village  of  Irville,  situated  eleven  miles  west  of 
Zanesville.  It  has  been  opened,  and  as  usual  it  has 
yielded  bones.  This  mound  was  about  fifteen  feet  in 
diameter  and  four  and  a  half  in  height ;  it  appears  to  have 
had  an  elliptic  basis.  Our  guide  told  us  that  he  was 
present  at  the  opening  of  it,  and  that  there  were  a  number 
of  human  bones,  and  among  others  a  tolerably  entire 
skeleton  which  laid  with  its  head  to  the  northwest ;  the 
arms  were  thrown  back  over  the  head.  Besides  the  bones 
there  were  numerous  spear  and  arrow  points,  and  of  the 
latter  we  picked  up  one  on  the  spot.  There  was  also  a 
plate  of  copper  of  the  length  of  the  hand,  and  from  five 
to  six  inches  in  width ;  it  was  rolled  up  at  the  sides  and 
had  two  holes  near  the  centre ;  its  weight  we  were  told 
might  have  been  about  a  quarter  of  a  pound,  but  was 


1823.  BRASS  AND   COPPER.  26 1 

probably  heavier ;  for  it  must  have  been  very  thin,  if,  with 
those  dimensions,  it  weighed  so  httle.  What  could  have 
been  the  use  of  it,  except  as  an  ornament,  was  not  deter- 
mined ;  indeed,  the  inhabitants  of  that  part  of  the  country 
are  so  much  accustomed  to  dig  up  the  bones  and  remains 
of  the  aborigines  that  they  are  very  careless  about 
observing  or  recording  the  objects  found,  and  the  circum- 
stances under  which  they  were  discovered.  We  are  told 
that  pieces  of  copper,  and  even  of  brass,  had  been  fre- 
quently collected.  The  copper  may  be  easily  accounted 
for  without  a  reference  to  a  higher  degree  of  civilization 
or  to  an  intercourse  with  nations  more  advanced  in  the 
arts.  The  existence  of  native  copper  strewed  upon  the 
surface  of  the  ground  in  many  places  will  easily  account 
for  the  circumstance  of  its  being  used  by  the  natives  as 
an  ornament,  in  the  same  manner  that  the  Copper  Indians 
of  the  north  have  been  known,  from  the  earliest  days  of 
their  discovery  by  the  whites,  to  adorn  their  persons  with 
it ;  but  we  cannot  account  for  the  discovery  of  ornaments 
of  brass  unless  we  admit  an  intercourse  with  nations  that 
had  advanced  in  civilization. 

The  existence,  therefore,  of  fragments  of  this  alloy  in 
mounds  appears  to  us  doubtful ;  for,  if  true,  the  Indians 
who  constructed  them  must  have  been  much  more  refined 
than  we  can  suppose  they  were,  or  they  must  have  had 
intercourse  with  civilized  nations.  The  erection  of  these 
mounds,  which  appear  to  be  in  a  great  measure  contem- 
porary, was  certainly  much  anterior  to  the  discovery  of 
this  continent  in  the  fifteenth  century ;  and  therefore  it  is 
not  from  Europeans  that  these  pieces  of  brass  were  ob- 
tained, if,  again  we  repeat  it,  they  have  been  found  interred 
in  these  works. 

Besides  this  mound  there  are  many  others  in  the  imme- 


262  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1823. 

diate  vicinity  of  Irville,  some  of  which  have  very  great 
dimensions.  We  observed  one  near  the  road,  which  liad 
been  but  recently  excavated  at  its  summit ;  it  was  perhaps 
thirty-five  or  forty  feet  high.  These  mounds  were  for  the 
most  part  overgrown  with  bushes ;  we  could  discover  no 
order  or  plan  in  their  relative  positions,  and  from  the  scat- 
tered and  irregular  manner  in  which  they  lie,  it  does  not 
appear  that  they  were  intended  to  be  connected  with  any 
work  of  defence  ;  it  is  more  probable  that  they  were  erected 
as  mausoleums  over  the  remains  of  the  dead,  and  that  the 
difference  in  their  size  was  intended  to  convey  an  idea  of 
the  difference  in  the  relative  importance  of  those  whose 
bones  they  covered.  We  were  informed  that  this  valley 
and  the  neighboring  hills  abound  in  excavations  resem- 
bling wells.  We  met  with  none  of  these  ;  they  are  said  to 
be  very  numerous,  and  are  generally  attributed  to  the  first 
PVench  adventurers,  who,  being  constantly  intent  upon 
the  search  of  the  precious  metals,  commenced  digging 
wherever  they  observed  a  favorable  indication.  Not  hav- 
ing seen  any  of  these,  we  could  not  pretend  to  express  an 
opinion  upon  their  origin,  but  from  the  number  in  which 
they  are  represented  to  be,  as  well  as  from  their  dimen- 
sions, they  appear  to  us  far  exceeding  the  abilities  of  those 
to  whom  they  are  attributed,  and  to  have  required  a  much 
more  numerous  and  permanent  population  than  these 
adventurers  are  known  to  have  brought  over  with  them  ; 
we  would,  therefore,  prefer  the  opinion  which  ascribes 
them  to  the  nations  that  erected  the  mounds,  and  who 
may  have  sunk  these  wells,  either  for  purposes  of  self- 
defence  according  to  the  usual  mode  of  Indian  warfare, 
or  as  habitations,  in  the  manner  known  to  be  practised  by 
some  tribes,  or,  finally,  for  some  other  cause  as  yet  undis- 
covered.   Their  great  depth,  which  is  said  at  this  time  to 


1823.  AN  INDIAN  TRIBE.  263 

exceed  twenty  feet,  may  be  considered  as  an  objection  to 
the  opinion  which  we  have  advanced.  The  supposition 
of  Mr.  Atwater  that  these  wells,  which  he  states  to  be  at 
least  a  thousand  in  number,  were  opened  for  the  mere 
purpose  of  extracting  rock-crystal  and  horn-stone,  appears 
to  us  too  refined.  Whatever  may  have  been  the  advances 
in  civiHzation  of  these  nations,  we  have  no  reason  to  be- 
lieve that  they  had  carried  them  so  far  as  to  be  induced 
to  undertake  immense  mining  operations  for  tlie  mere 
purpose  of  obtaining  these  articles. 

"  All  this,"  said  Uncle  Fred,  "  is  about  Ohio,  you  see. 
"Now  if  you  will  turn  over  to  my  mark  you  will  find 
sometliing  farther  off." 


AN  INDIAN  TRIBE. 

While  travelling  over  the  .prairie  which  borders  upon 
that  part  of  St.  Peter  that  connects  Lac-qui-parle  with  Big 
Stone  Lake,  our  attention  was  aroused  by  the  sight  of  what 
appeared  to  be  buffaloes  chased  across  the  prairie.  They, 
however,  soon  proved  to  be  Indians.  Their  number,  at  first 
limited  to  two,  gradually  increased  to  near  one  hundred. 
They  were  seen  rising  from  every  part  of  the  prairie,  and 
after  those  in  the  advance  had  reconnoitered  us  and  made 
signals  that  we  were  friends  by  discharging  their  guns,  they 
all  came  running  toward  us,  and  in  a  few  minutes  we 
found  ourselves  surrounded  by  a  numerous  band.  They 
had  at  first  been  apprehensive  that  we  might  be  enemies, 
and  this  was  the  cause  of  the  different  manoeuvres  which 
they  made  previous  to  discharging  their  guns.  The  effect 
of  these  guns  fired  upon  the  prairie  in  every  direction,  and 
by  each  as  soon  as  he  had  required  the  requisite  degree  of 


264  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE  1823. 

certainty  that  the  strangers  were  friends,  was  really  very 
beautiful. 

As  they  approached  we  had  an  opportunity  of  observing 
that  these  Indians  were  good-looking  and  straight ;  none 
were  large,  nor  were  remarkable  for  the  symmetry  of  their 
forms.  They  were  for  the  most  part  destitute  of  clothing, 
except  the  breech-cloth  which  they  wore.  Some  of  them, 
and  particularly  the  young  men,  were  dressed  with  care 
and  ostentation.  They  wore  looking-glasses  suspended  to 
their  garments.  Others  had  papers  of  pins,  purchased 
from  the  traders,  as  ornaments.  We  observed  that  one 
who  appeared  to  be  a  man  of  some  note  among  them 
had  a  live  sparrow-hawk  upon  his  head  by  way  of  dis- 
tinction; this  man  wore,  also,  a  buffalo-robe,  on  which 
eight  bear-tracks  were  painted.  Some  of  them  were 
mounted  on  horseback,  and  were  constantly  drumming 
with  their  heels  upon  the  sides  of  their  horses,  being  des- 
titute of  whip  and  spur.  Many  of  them  came  and  shook 
hands  with  us,  while  the  rest  were  riding  all  round  us  in 
different  directions.  They  belonged,  as  we  were  told,  to 
one  of  the  tribes  of  the  Dakotas.  Their  chief  being  absent, 
the  principal  man  among  them  told  us  that  they  had  thirty 
lodges  of  their  people  at  the  lower  end  of  the  lake,  and 
invited  us  to  visit  them,  which  invitation  we  accepted. 
These  Indians  demonstrated  the  greatest  friendship  and 
affection  at  seeing  us.  The  village  to  which  they  directed 
us  consisted  of  thirty  skin-lodges,  situated  on  a  fine 
meadow  on  the  bank  of  the  lake. 

Their  permanent  residence,  or  at  least  that  which  they 
have  occupied  for  the  last  five  years,  is  on  a  rocky  island 
in  the  lake,  nearly  opposite  to,  and  within  a  quarter  of  a 
mile  of  their  present  encampment.  Upon  the  island  they 
cultivate  their  cornfields,  secure  against  the  aggressions  of 


1823.  POM  ME  BLANCHE.  265 

their  enemies.  They  had  been  lately  engaged  in  hunting 
buffalo,  apparently  with  much  success. 

The  principal  man  led  us  to  his  lodge,  wherein  a  num- 
ber of  the  influential  men  were  admitted,  the  women  being 
excluded.  But  we  observed  that  they,  with  all  the  chil- 
dren, went  about  the  lodge,  peeping  through  the  crevices, 
and  not  unfrequently  raising  the  skins,  to  observe  our 
motions.  They  soon  brought  in  a  couple  of  large  wooden 
dishes  filled  with  pounded  buffalo  meat  boiled,  and  covered 
with  the  marrow  of  the  same  animal ;  of  this  we  partook 
with  great  delight.  It  was  the  first  time  that  several  of  the 
party  had  tasted  fresh  buffalo  meat ;  and  it  was  the  first 
meal  made  by  any  of  us  upon  fresh  meat  since  we  had  left 
Fort  Anthony. 

During  the  entertainment  Major  Long  made  known  to 
them  the  objects  of  the  expedition,  at  which  they  appeared 
very  much  gratified.  As  we  rose  to  depart  we  were  in- 
formed that  another  feast  was  preparing  for  us  in  one  of 
the  adjoining  tents,  of  which  we  were  invited  to  partake. 
We  were  too  familiar  with  Indian  manners  not  to  know 
that  the  excuse  of  having  just  eaten  a  very  hearty  meal 
would  not  be  considered  as  sufficient  among  them ;  and 
so  we  readily  resigned  ourselves  to  the  necessity  of  again 
testifying  our  friendly  disposition  by  doing  honor  to  their 
meal.  It  consisted  of  a  white  root,  similar  in  appearance 
to  a  small  turnip;  it  is  called  by  the  French  pomme 
blanche.  It  was  boiled  down  into  a  sort  of  mush,  and 
was  very  much  relished  by  most  of  the  party ;  had  it  been 
seasoned  with  salt  or  sugar,  it  might  have  been  delicious. 
This  was  held,  even  by  the  guides,  to  be  a  great  treat.  As 
we  were  rising  from  this  meal  we  were  informed  that  a 
third  was  preparing  for  us.  We  begged  to  decline  it,  hav- 
ing a  considerable  distance  to  travel  that  afternoon ;  but 


266  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1823. 

we  were  informed  that  this  would  be  a  great  disappoint- 
ment to  him  who  had  prepared  the  feast,  as,  in  order  to 
outdo  all  the  others,  he  had  killed  a  dog,  which  is  con- 
sidered not  only  as  the  greatest  delicacy,  but  also  as  a 
sacred  animal,  of  which  they  eat  only  on  great  occasions. 
In  order  to  meet  his  wishes  we  deferred  our  journey  for  an 
hour,  but  the  repast  not  being  then  prepared  we  were 
compelled  to  leave  the  village,  to  the  great  and  manifest 
mortification  of  our  third  host,  and  to  the  no  small  dis- 
appointment of  most  of  our  party,  who  were  desirous  of 
tasting  of  the  sacred  animal.  In  order  to  make  a  return 
for  the  civilities  which  we  had  received  at  the  hands  of  the 
Indians,  we  informed  them  that  if  they  would  despatch  a 
messenger  with  us  we  would  send  them  from  a  neighbor- 
ing trader's  house  some  tobacco,  all  ours  having  beer  lost 
on  the  river.  They  gladly  accepted  the  proposal,  and  sent 
two  lads  with  us  for  it.  We  met  on  the  bluff  which  com- 
mands the  superintendent's  house  an  Indian  who  claims 
the  command  of  the  Mahkpatoons.  We  had  declined  his 
invitation  to  stay  at  his  lodge  in  the  afternoon,  being  de- 
sirous of  reaching  Mr.  Moore's  house  as  early  as  possible, 
but  we  promised  to  return  about  sunset,  and  he  accord- 
ingly made  all  due  preparations  to  receive  us.  The  chief 
and  his  principal  men  were  in  waiting.  We  entered  the 
skin-lodge,  and  were  seated  on  fine  buffalo-robes  spread 
all  around ;  on  the  fire,  which  was  in  the  centre  of  the 
lodge,  two  large  iron  kettles,  filled  with  choicest  pieces  of 
buffalo,  were  placed.  When  the  chief  took  his  seat  he 
had  near  him  a  large  pouch  or  bag,  decorated  with  but 
little  taste,  although  he  seemed  to  have  gathered  up  all 
that  he  could  collect  in  the  way  of  ornament.  Among 
other  things  we  observed  an  old  and  dirty  comb.  He 
had,  since  our  first  visit,  bedaubed  his  face  with  white 


1823.  TATANKA    WE Cf/A CHITA.  267 

clay.  After  the  usual  preliminaries  of  shaking  of  hands, 
smoking  the  pipe  of  peace,  etc.,  we  proceeded  to  the  feast, 
which  was  found  excellent.  The  buffalo  meat  had  been 
selected  with  care,  the  fat  and  the  lean  judiciously  por- 
tioned out,  the  whole  boiled  to  a  proper  degree ;  and  in 
fine,  though  our  appetites  were  not  stimulated  to  a  long 
fast,  this  repast  was  one  of  the  best  of  which  we  had 
ever  partaken.  Our  hosts  were  gratified  and  flattered  at 
the  quantity  which  we  ate ;  the  residue  of  the  feast  was 
sent  to  our  soldiers.  In  this,  and  every  other  instance 
where  we  have  been  invited  to  a  feast  by  the  Indians,  we 
observed  that  they  never  eat  with  their  guests. 

Tatanka  Wechachita  is  the  nephew  of  a  man  of  con- 
siderable distinction  among  these  Dakotas.  Since  the 
death  of  his  uncle  he  has  attempted  to  be  considered  as 
his  successor;  but  the  former  was  never  duly  acknowl- 
edged as  chief,  this  title  residing  in  Nunpakea,  a  man  of 
considerable  bravery,  who,  by  the  influence  of  his  family 
and  his  talents,  acquired  that  dignity  in  preference  to  his 
first  cousins  on  the  death  of  their  father. 

Our  host  boasted  of  many  flags  and  medals  which  his 
uncle  had  obtained  from  our  government,  and  which  were 
then  in  his  possession  ;  these  and  the  influence  of  his  great 
magician  may  probably  secure  to  him  the  dignity  to  which 
he  aspires  if  he  has  talent  enough  to  uphold  it.  After  the 
feast  was  over  our  host  rose,  shook  hands  with  all  the 
gentlemen  of  our  party,  then  resumed  his  seat  and  de- 
livered a  speech  which  at  the  time  appeared  to  us  very 
pertinent  and  interesting.  It  was  delivered  with  apparent 
feeling,  but  not  without  some  hesitation.  Having  ex- 
pressed to  Renville  our  satisfaction  at  the  speech,  he 
immediately  observed  that  it  expressed  too  much  adula- 
tion and  too  much  whining;   had  Tatanka  Wechachita 


^68  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1823. 

been  the  chief  that  he  professed  himself  to  be,  his  tone 
would  have  been  more  imposing,  and  his  style  more  dig- 
nified and  decisive. 

"  Brothers,  the  subject  upon  which  I  am  to  address  you 
is  grievous  to  me  ;  and  this  grief  is  the  motive  which  has 
thus  far  prevented  me  from  speaking  to  you.  Since  the 
lamented  death  of  my  revered  uncle,  who  died  last  year,  I 
have  been  called  upon  to  succeed  him,  but  as  I  am  not 
endued  with  experience  to  know  how  to  direct  myself,  I 
shall  follow  the  advice  which  I  have  received  from  him, 
and  therefore  I  rejoice  at  seeing  you,  and  I  am  gratified 
at  your  visit. 

"  I  regret  that  my  followers  are  now  all  absent.  This  is 
our  hunting  season.  In  the  autumn  we  collect  in  our  vil- 
lages to  meet  the  traders.  Had  you  seen  us  thus  col- 
lected, you  would  have  found  me  at  the  head  of  a  large 
and  powerful  band  of  men.  At  present  I  am  alone  ;  still 
I  am  pleased  to  see  you. 

"Brothers,  there  are  two  roads  which  we  Dakotas 
usually  travel ;  my  uncle  trod  both  these  paths.  The  first 
led  him  to  the  British,  far  towards  the  rising  sun.  From 
them  he  received  both  kindness  and  honor ;  they  made 
him  many  presents,  among  which  were  flags  and  medals. 
The  other  road  led  him  to  the  Americans  at  St.  Louis ; 
this  road  he  subsequently  travelled.  From  them  he,  in 
like  manner,  received  flags  and  medals.  These  he  has 
bequeathed  all  to  me. 

"  I  should  have  unfurled  my  flags  at  your  approach,  but 
I  am  unacquainted  with  the  customs  of  your  nation,  and  I 
am  new  in  the  duties  of  my  rank.  I  am  ignorant  how  to 
act;  but  I  am  desirous  of  following  the  advice  of  my 
dying  uncle,  who  bade  me  remain  at  peace  with  the 
Americans,  and  always  consider  them  as  my  friends; 
and  as  such  I  hold  you. 


1823.  HOSTILES,  269 

"  My  friends,  I  am  poor  and  very  destitute ;  not  so  was 
my  uncle.  But  I  have  as  yet  followed  neither  of  the  roads 
which  he  travelled.  Since  I  have  been  called  upon  to  rule 
over  my  people  I  have  dwelt  among  them,  and  have  not 
been  able  to  visit  St.  Louis  in  order  to  obtain  presents  of 
powder  and  tobacco. 

"  I  have  already  told  you  that  my  followers  are  absent ; 
they  are  hunting  at  the  north ;  I  have  left  with  them  my 
flags.  I  know  not  whither  you  are  going,  but  I  presume 
you  may  meet  them.  They  will  exhibit  to  you  my  flags, 
and  you  will  know  them,  for  they  are  those  of  your  nation. 
I  shall  send  them  word  of  your  intention  to  travel  that 
way,  and  bid  them  if  they  see  you  to  treat  you  with 
becoming  respect,  assist  you,  supply  you  with  provisions, 
and  with  whatever  else  you  may  require. 

"  My  friends,  I  am  poor,  and  could  not  do  much ;  but 
I  have  prepared  this  little  feast.  You  have  partaken  of  it, 
and  it  has  gratified  me.  I  am  young,  and  inexperienced 
in  speaking,  but  I  have  done  my  best.  Again  I  thank 
you  for  your  flattering  visit." 

While  riding  quietly  across  the  prairie,  with  the  eye 
intent  upon  the  beautiful  prospect  of  the  buffaloes  that 
were  grazing,  our  attention  was  suddenly  aroused  by  the 
discharge  of  a  gun  in  the  vicinity  of  the  river  (Red  River), 
which  flowed  about  half  a  mile  west  of  the  course  that  we 
were  then  travelling.  While  we  were  reckoning  up  our 
party  to  know  if  any  had  straggled  to  a  distance,  we  saw 
two  Indians  running  across  the  prairie ;  their  number 
increased  very  soon  to  twelve  or  fifteen,  who  hastened 
towards  us,  but  as  soon  as  they  came  near  our  party, 
stopped  and  examined  us  with  minuteness,  after  which 
they  presented  their  hands  to  us  ;  we  gave  them  ours.  It 
was  immediately  observed  that  they  were  in  a  complete 


2/0  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1823. 

State  of  preparation  for  war,  being  perfectly  naked  with 
the  exception  of  the  breech-cloth.  They  had  even  laid 
their  blankets  by.  All  of  them  were  armed  with  guns,  ap- 
parently in  very  good  order,  or  with  bows  and  arrows,  and 
some  with  both.  Their  appearance,  though  at  first  friendly, 
soon  became  insulting.  Their  party  had,  in  the  mean 
while,  increased  to  thirty  or  forty,  so  that  they  out- 
numbered ours.  We  found  that  they  belonged  to  the 
Wahkpakota  or  Leaf  Indians,  whose  character,  even 
among  their  own  countrymen,  is  very  bad.  We  availed 
ourselves  of  Mr.  Snelling's  knowledge  of  the  language  to 
communicate  to  them,  in  the  course  of  conversation,  our 
objects  and  intentions,  as  well  as  the  friendly  reception 
which  we  had  met  with  on  the  part  of  Wanotan  and  the 
other  Indians  whom  we  had  seen.  In  a  tone  rather 
imperative  than  courteous,  they  expressed  their  wish  that 
we  should  go  to  their  camp  and  speak  to  their  old  chief. 
This  we  declined  doing,  informing  them  that  some  of  our 
party  had  separated  from  us,  and  that  we  had  a  long 
journey  to  travel. 

They  pointed  to  the  sun,  which  was  then  low  in  the 
horizon,  and  added  that  we  had  no  time  to  proceed 
further,  and  that  we  had  better  encamp  with  them  that 
night. 

While  this  conversation  was  going  on  Mr.  Say  remarked 
that,  either  through  design  or  accident,  the  Indians  had 
intermixed  themselves  so  with  our  party  that  every  one 
of  our  number  was  placed  between  two  or  more  of  theirs. 
Mr.  Snelling  overheard  them  talking  of  our  horses,  admir- 
ing them,  and  examining  the  points  of  each  ;  one  of  their 
band  had  even  ventured  so  far  as  to  ask  him  which  horse 
was  considered  the  best  of  the  party. 

Finding  that  all  further  conversation  was  a  waste  of 


1823.  THREATS.  271 

time,  and  having  given  them  as  much  tobacco  as  our 
small  stock  allowed  us  to  spare,  Major  Long  mounted  his 
horse  and  gave  his  men  orders  to  march.  The  Indians 
attempted  no  opposition  at  the  time,  but  after  we  had 
travelled  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile,  they  following  in  our 
rear,  a  gun  was  fired  at  some  distance  on  the  prairie  to 
the  right  of  our  line,  and  a  number  of  mounted  Indians 
were  seen  in  that  direction  coming  towards  us.  Those 
who  had  followed  us  then  made  a  signal  to  them  that  we 
were  white  men,  and  ran  up  to  desire  that,  as  their  chief 
was  then  coming  up,  we  would  stop  and  shake  hands  with 
him.  The  party  halted  until  the  mounted  Indians  had 
come  up  and  greeted  us  in  the  usual  manner.  Observing 
that  their  chief  was  not  among  them,  Major  Long  again 
set  his  men  in  motion,  but  before  we  had  proceeded  far 
several  of  them  ran  up  to  the  head  of  the  line,  fired  their 
guns  across  our  path,  reloaded  them  immediately,  and 
formed  a  crescent  in  front  of  the  leader  to  prevent  him 
from  proceeding.  At  that  time  the  number  of  Indians 
must  have  been  about  seventy  or  eighty,  while  ours 
amounted  only  to  twenty-five.  Their  intentions  could  not 
be  misunderstood.  It  was  probable  they  did  not  care  to 
harm  our  persons,  but  they  were  anxious  to  pilfer  our  bag- 
gage, and  especially  to  secure  our  horses  ;  and  as  we  were 
resolved  not  to  part  with  them  without  a  struggle,  it  was 
evident  that  the  first  gun  fired  would  be  the  signal  for  an 
attack  which  must  end  in  the  total  destruction  of  our 
party ;  for  the  number  of  the  Indians,  and  their  mode  of 
dispersing  upon  the  prairie,  and  continually  changing  their 
situation  during  a  skirmish,  would  have  given  them  a  very 
great  advantage  over  us,  as,  in  order  to  protect  our  horses 
and  baggage,  we  would  have  remained  in  a  body,  and  ex- 
posed to  their  arrows  and  balls.     But  even  in  such  a  case 


2/2  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1823. 

they  must  have  lost  some  of  their  number,  and  this  con- 
sideration, all-powerful  with  Indians,  probably  induced 
them  to  defer  their  attack  until  night,  when  their  advan- 
tages would  be  still  greater ;  and  hence  their  anxiety  that 
we  should  encamp  in  the  vicinity.  Had  Major  Long 
been  entirely  free  to  act  as  he  pleased  he  would  have 
avoided  all  further  conversation,  and  have  proceeded  the 
whole  night  without  stopping  at  all  that  evening ;  but  this 
he  could  not  do  so  long  as  some  of  the  gentlemen  were 
separated  from  us,  for  in  such  a  case  they  would  easily  have 
been  cut  off  by  the  Indians.  It  was  to  give  them  a  chance 
to  overtake  us  that  he  had  continued  the  conference  so 
long,  and  that  he  finally  decided  upon  encamping  at  a 
point  of  wood  then  in  sight,  but  further  than  that  which 
had  been  proposed  by  the  Indians. 

With  this  view  the  Major  ordered  his  men  to  march, 
when  one  of  the  Indians  advanced  up  to  the  head  of  the 
line,  stopped  the  horse  of  the  leader,  and  cocked  his  gun. 
The  soldier  who  was  there,  and  whose  name  was  George 
Bunker,  immediately  imitated  this  action,  determined  to 
be  prepared  for  a  shot  as  soon  as  his  antagonist.  At  this 
moment  Major  Long  marched  up  to  the  head  of  the  line 
and  led  off  his  party.  There  can  be  no  doubt  that  the 
resolution  thus  manifested  had  a  great  influence  in  pre- 
venting the  Indians  from  making  an  immediate  attack. 
The  party  being  again  safely  united,  Major  Long  consider- 
ing that  if  an  attack  was  intended  it  would  be  made  a  short 
time  before  daylight,  determined  to  allow  the  horses  to 
rest  until  midnight,  when  the  moon,  rising,  would  make  it 
safe  and  pleasant  to  travel.  Accordingly  at  that  hour  we 
resumed  our  line  of  march.  Our  preparations  were  made 
with  the  greatest  expedition  and  silence,  so  as  not  to  be 
observed  by  the  Indians  at  a  distance,  and  to  avoid  dis- 


1823.  BUFFALO  HUNT.  2/3 

turbing  the  old  Indian  sleeping,  or  affecting  to  sleep, 
under  one  of  our  carts.  In  the  latter  purpose,  however, 
we  failed ;  the  old  man  awoke,  and  seeing  what  we  were 
about,  he  left  us  immediately,  notwithstanding  the  attempt 
made  to  amuse  him  with  conversation  until  we  should  be 
ready  to  start ;  but  we  could  not  detain  him ;  we  saw  him 
walk  over  the  prairie,  and  by  the  light  of  the  moon  traced 
his  figure  until  he  approached  near  to  the  river,  when  he 
disappeared  in  the  woods.  This  was  the  last  Dakota 
whom  we  saw.  .  .  . 

Had  not  our  attention  been  seriously  occupied  by  the 
hostile  disposition  manifested  by  these  Indians  we  should 
have  taken  much  interest  in  witnessing  one  of  their  great 
diversions. 

Some  time  before  we  met  them  we  observed  a  fine 
buffalo  bull,  who  seemed  to  challenge  a  combat  with  our 
party ;  he  travelled  for  about  two  miles  abreast  of  us,  and 
almost  within  gun-shot ;  his  eyes  were  intently  bent  upon 
us.  Though  occasionally  driven  off  by  our  dog,  he  would 
constantly  return,  and  continue  in  a  parallel  line,  as  though 
he  were  watching  our  motions.  This  fearless  character,  so 
unlike  that  of  buffaloes  in  general,  excited  our  surprise  and 
admiration ;  and  accordingly  we  determined  to  spare  him 
and  see  how  long  he  would  continue  to  travel  with  us. 
But  the  noble  animal  offered  too  strong  a  temptation  to 
the  Indians.  Seeing  him  stop  at  the  same  place  where  we 
halted,  a  few  of  them,  especially  the  youngest  of  the  party, 
ran  up  to  him,  and  in  a  few  moments  several  balls  and 
perhaps  a  dozen  arrows  had  reduced  the  animal  to  his  last 
gasp.  They  then  approached  on  all  sides,  and  while  he 
was  engaged  in  keeping  off  those  on  his  left  the  youths 
on  his  right  would  come  so  near  him  as  to  draw  his  atten- 
tion to  them ;  the  animal  appeared  galled,  his  rage  was 

18 


274  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1823. 

extreme,  but  his  weakness  was  equally  so.  At  length  some 
of  them  came  very  near  to  him  and  caught  hold  of  his 
tail:  at  this  moment  he  was  observed  to  be  tottering; 
they  all  drew  off,  the  animal  fell,  and  after  two  or  three 
convulsive  throes  he  expired.  A  shout  from  the  Indians 
announced  the  death  of  their  victim.  This  seemed  to  be 
a  schooling  for  the  youngest  of  their  party,  a  few  of  whom 
were  mere  boys. 


XII. 

SIBERIA  AND   KAMCHATKA. 

THEY  were  talking  abont  the  Nihilists,  and  being 
exiled  to  Siberia.  Some  of  the  children  had  been 
at  the  theatre  two  years  ago,  and  had  seen  the  Exiles  of 
Siberia,  with  white  paper  snow,  and  real  oxen  to  draw  the 
sledge. 

Bertha  asked,  with  a  shudder,  whether  anybody  ever 
came  back  to  tell  the  story. 

"Why,  Bertha,  Uncle  Fritz  himself  built  a  telegraph 
across  the  Lake  of  Baikal." 

Then  they  all  looked  at  Uncle  Fritz.  But  he  would 
not  go  into  any  detail  of  his  Siberian  adventures.  It  is  a 
subject  on  which  he  is  always  shy.  But  the  boys  got  out 
"  The  Ingham  Papers,"  and  began  looking  for  "  Nofpo 
Ston  "  on  the  map. 

"  If  you  will  go  to  the  fountain  of  all  knowledge,"  said 
Will  Withers,  "  that  is,  to  Robinson  Crusoe,  you  will 
have  a  good  travelling  knowledge  of  Siberia." 

"  Siberia  !  "  cried  Alice.  "  It  is  not  a  year  since  you  all 
said  that  Robinson  Crusoe  lived  in  the  Oronooko.^  I  was 
disgraced.  I  thought  he  lived  in  Juan  Fernandez  before. 
And  now  I  am  told  that  he  raised  his  melons  under  the 
shade  of  an  avalanche,  and  that  the  savages  were  clothed 

1  See  Stories  of  the  Sea,  p.  107. 


2/6  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE,  i88i. 

in  bear-skins,  and  skated  across  to  his  island.  I  am  in 
despair." 

"  My  dear  Alice,"  said  Will,  who  is  very  fond  of  her, 
"  if  he  had  never  come  back  from  the  *  great  river  Oro- 
nooko,'  we  should  never  have  known  anything  about 
him." 

"  All  the  same,"  the  girl  persisted,  "  he  came  home  to 
England.  The  fact  of  his  coming  home  does  not  prove 
that  the  book  told  about  Siberia.  Now  see  here,  —  here 
is  dear  Uncle  Fred's  table  copy." 

As  has  been  said  already,  Robinson  Crusoe  is  one  of 
seven  books  always  at  Uncle  Fritz's  side.  Sure  enough, 
there  was  not  a  word  about  Siberia  on  the  titlepage. 

But  Will  was  not  to  be  defeated.  "  Why  do  you  read 
me  the  titlepage  to  the  first  volume  ?  "  he  said.  Then  he 
turned  to  the  title  of  the  second  volume,  "  The  Further 
Adventures  of  Robinson  Crusoe." 

"  You  see  he  went  to  Nanquin,  where  your  famous 
Capt.  Cleveland  could  not  go.  A  Chinese  exclusiveness 
had  not  been  settled  on  then.  He  went  to  the  great  city 
of  Peking,  and  here  he  sold  opium,  among  other  things." 

"  Just  as  he  had  sold  slaves  before,"  said  Alice,  and  she 
pretended  to  shudder.     "  A  famous  hero,  indeed  ! " 

"  My  dear  Alice,  it  was  the  error  of  his  time.  That  is 
what  you  must  always  say."  And  the  boy  rapidly  turned 
the  pages.  "  See  !  '  Robinson  joins  a  caravan  proceeding 
to  Moscow,'  and  here,  '  I  could  not  but  discover  an  in- 
finite satisfaction  that  I  was  so  soon  arrived  in  a  Christian 
country.'  " 

"  But  here,"  persisted  Alice,  "  they  are  burning  an  idol." 

*'  I  cannot  help  that,"  said  poor  Will,  who  was  no  match 
for  her  in  changing  his  ground  and  hopping  from  point  to 
point.     "  All  the  same,  it  was  Siberia  "  ;  and  as  he  turned 


i8i2.  A  POORGA,  277 

he  read  in  triumph,  "  I  came  to  Tobolski,  the  capital  city 
of  Siberia,  where  I  continued  some  time." 

"  I  should  think  he  would,"  said  Uncle  Fred.  "  There 
is  a  very  decent  hotel  there  now.  I  stayed  there  a  good 
while.  I  saw  the  annual  gathering  of  the  convicts  before 
they  were  scattered  to  the  villages.  Tobolsk  is  the  place 
where  they  meet." 

"  Uncle  Fred,  you  should  write  your  travels  in  Siberia. 
If  no  one  has  been  there  since  poor  Robinson  Crusoe,  and 
nobody  but  Will  Withers  knows  that,  you  should  make  a 
book." 

The  old  gentleman  smiled  grimly.  But  he  said  that 
plenty  of  people  had  gone  to  Kamchatka  and  to  Siberia 
also.  And  he  sent  Alice  for  Peter  Dobell's  travels. 
**  That 's  a  very  good  book,  and  you  may  read  me  to 
sleep  by  hunting  up  my  marks  in  it.  I  read  that  book  as 
I  was  floating  down  the  Obi  River  on  a  timber  raft." 

"  I  had  a  great  deal  rather  read  your  book.  Uncle 
Fritz,"  said  the  girl,  with  admiration. 

"  For  that,  my  dear  child,  you  must  wait  till  it  is 
written."     So  Alice  began  :  — 

A  POORGA. 

We  were  happy  on  the  9th  to  inhale  the  fresh  air,  and 
leave  our  smoky  habitation  at  Timlatee  to  pursue  our 
journey,  which  now  lay  over  a  mountainous  country,  along 
the  sea-coast,  and  almost  wholly  bare  of  timber.  The 
morning  was  clear  and  cold,  but  the  wind  blew  rather 
fresh  from  the  sea,  and  the  white  clouds  hurried  rapidly 
over  the  blue  expanse.  About  ten  o'clock  the  Toyune  of 
Govenskoy  came  to  me  and  said,  "  We  must  not  stop  at 
twelve  to-day,  as  usual,  to  take  our  luncheon,  as  I  perceive 


2/8  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE,  1812. 

we  are  going  to  have  one  of  those  cold  poorgas,  which  on 
these  plains  are  very  violent ;  and  we  may  be  frozen  to 
death,  should  we  not  chance  to  meet  with  the  Reindeer 
Karaikees.  For  a  long  distance,"  added  he,  "  there  is  no 
house,  or  hut,  or  any  sort  of  shelter  :  therefore  order  your 
people  to  push  on,  and  keep  close  together ;  for  if  the 
Karaikees  are  here,  they  will  be  on  the  middle  of  the 
moor,  but  yet  a  considerable  distance  from  us." 

Knowing  how  well  the  natives  of  that  country  under- 
stand the  weather,  although  I  could  see  nothing  that 
indicated  a  storm,  I  gave  orders  as  he  directed,  and  he 
led  the  way  with  his  own  dogs.  These,  he  said,  were 
his  hunting  dogs,  and  could  be  relied  on.  We  went  on 
quite  well,  and  briskly,  until  a  little  before  twelve  o'clock, 
when,  all  of  a  sudden,  the  wind  began  to  blow  with  great 
violence,  and,  drifting  the  snow  in  quantities,  thickened 
the  atmosphere  so  that  we  could  not  see  a  yard  before  us. 
For  the  first  part  of  our  progress  the  sky  above  our  heads 
was  clear ;  but  this,  after  a  while,  became  covered  with 
black  clouds,  and  a  kind  of  sharp  sleet  descended,  which 
was  borne  on  the  wind  so  violently  that  we  could  no 
longer  keep  our  faces  to  windward,  and  were  obliged  to 
stop.  As  we  had  lost  our  way  from  the  commencement, 
the  Toyune  came  to  me  to  hold  a  consultation  as  to  what 
was  to  be  done.  I  told  him  he  was  an  inhabitant  of  the 
country,  and  must  be  the  better  judge,  and  I  should  leave 
it  to  him  to  decide.  He  said,  "As  it  is  impossible  to 
make  a  fire,  if  we  remain  here  and  the  poorga  continues 
all  night,  we  shall  all  be  fi-ozen  to  death.  We  had,  there- 
fore, better  keep  moving ;  but  don't  you  give  a  dram  to 
any  one  till  I  tell  you ;  for  watky  is  not  good  at  such  a 
time.  I  have  great  confidence  in  my  dogs,  and  if  there  is 
a  reindeer  on  the  plain  they  will  find  him." 


i8i2.  A  POORGA.  279 

After  this  speech  he  pushed  on  his  dogs  to  take  what 
road  they  liked,  first  giving  orders  to  the  party  to  watch 
each  other  strictly  and  not  to  separate  on  any  account. 
To  our  surprise  the  dogs,  instead  of  taking  what  we  im- 
agined to  be  the  road,  turned  off  from  the  sea  and  brought 
the  wind  nearly  on  our  backs.  Although  this  alarmed 
many,  who  thought  they  were  going  wrong,  they  found  it 
much  more  comfortable  than  to  go  against  the  sharp  sleet 
which  tore  the  skin  from  their  faces.  We  continued 
travelling  in  this  manner  for  upwards  of  two  hours.  The 
poorga  raged  with  redoubled  fury;  the  clouds  of  sleet 
rolled  like  a  dark  smoke  over  the  moor,  and  we  were  all 
so  benumbed  with  cold  that  our  teeth  chattered  in  our 
heads.  The  sleet,  driven  with  such  violence,  had  got 
into  our  clothes,  and  penetrated  even  under  our  parkas, 
and  into  our  baggage,  wherever  there  was  the  smallest 
crevice. 

At  length  the  Toyune's  dogs,  began  to  snuff  the  air,  bark 
loudly,  and  set  out  at  full  speed.  It  was  like  a  shock  of 
electricity.  The  rest  of  the  dogs  followed  this  example, 
and  strained  every  nerve  to  keep  pace  with  them.  Our 
hearts  now  beat  high,  for  we  were  sure  the  dogs  smelt  the 
reindeer,  and  this  emotion  had  already  infused  a  warmth 
through  our  veins,  as  we  anticipated  the  happiness  of  find- 
ing shelter  from  a  dreadful  storm  that  threatened  us  with 
death.  In  about  ten  minutes  more  we  had  the  ineffable 
pleasure  of  finding  ourselves  near  a  large  Karaikee  jourta, 
where  we  saw  a  fine  fire  blazing.  The  Karaikees  had  all 
run  out  with  their  clubs  and  spears  to  defend  their  rein- 
deer from  the  dogs,  which  our  drivers,  benumbed  as  they 
were,  could  hardly  keep  from  running  on  the  herd  that 
surrounded  the  jourta.  The  Karaikees,  who  were  to  lee- 
ward of  us,  had  heard  the  dogs  for  some  time,  and,  antici- 


28o  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  i8i2. 

pating  our  arrival,  had  already  killed  a  fine  fat  buck,  and 
the  women  were  skinning  him  when  we  arrived. 

Our  host  was  a  fine  hospitable  old  man,  who  possessed 
a  herd  of  neariy  three  hundred  sleek  reindeer,  and  he 
seemed  overjoyed  to  have  us  for  guests.  He  made  me 
sit  down  on  some  nice  warm  bear-skins  spread  near  the 
fire,  which  was  in  the  centre  of  the  jourta.  Behind  me 
was  a  place  apart,  well  hung  and  lined  with  deer-skins,  for 
me  to  sleep  on. 

My  interpreter,  who  was  of  Karaikee  origin,  found  out 
at  last  that  the  host  was  a  relation  of  his.  This  circum- 
stance occasioned  much  joy,  and  was  the  cause  of  the 
death  of  another  fine  buck  to  regale  his  relation.  The 
Toyune  of  Evashka  being  in  possession  of  an  order  from 
government  to  collect  the  tax  and  tribute  from  the  Rein- 
deer Karaikees  in  that  quarter,  he  made  the  interpreter 
explain  his  powers  to  the  other  Toyune,  and  ask  him  if  he 
was  prepared  to  pay  them.  He  replied  that  he  would 
pay  the  tribute  with  great  cheerfulness,  but  he  could  not 
pay  the  tax  in  money,  because  he  had  none,  nor  did  he 
know  how  to  get  it.  "  I  wish,"  said  he  to  me,  "  as  you 
are  going  to  St.  Petersburg  you  would  tell  the  Emperor 
that  the  Reindeer  Karaikees,  though  a  wild  people,  are 
good  loyal  subjects,  and  are  always  ready  to  pay  the 
tribute  in  furs,  although  they  cannot  pay  him  money.  Our 
habits  of  life,"  continued  he,  "  are  such  that  we  never 
buy  or  sell  anything  for  money  ;  how  then  can  he  expect 
us  to  find  it?  When  I  want  tobacco,  knives,  kettles, 
needles,  or  watky,  I  buy  them  with  fox,  sable,  and  deer 
skins,  and  I  know  nothing  farther  of  trade  ;  besides,  I  have 
heard  that  amongst  you  who  trade  for  money  the  effect 
often  spoils  the  heart  and  creates  bad  blood  between  man 
and  man.     I  am  glad,  therefore,  there  is  so  litde  money 


i8i2.  GRATITUDE.  28 1 

amongst  our  Karaikees,  who  are  warm-tempered."  After 
having  made  this  speech,  which  was  delivered  in  a  serious 
tone,  he  ordered  a  bundle  of  fox  and  sable  skins  to  be 
brought,  and,  throwing  them  at  the  feet  of  the  Toyune, 
"There,"  said  he,  "is  our  tribute.  Let  the  interpreter 
write  me  a  paper  and  do  you  sign  it  to  say  you  have 
received  it." 

This  request  being  complied  with,  and  the  afternoon 
being  very  fine  and  serene,  we  deemed  it  best  to  resist  the 
kind  invitation  of  the  chief  to  pass  the  night  with  him, 
and  proceeded  on  our  journey.  After  leaving  Tolbachik, 
the  roads  were  good,  and  we  soon  arrived  at  Oushkee. 
Here  the  inhabitants  were  few,  and  those  few  miserable. 
I  therefore  distributed  some  presents  amongst  them  which 
I  had  brought  for  that  purpose.  My  distribution  was 
nearly  finished  when  I  observed  a  lad  whose  features  I 
recognized,  and  I  immediately  asked  him  where  he  be- 
longed. He  said,  "  I  am  from  the  Tigil  coast,  and  have 
been  sent  here  to  assist  travellers,  and  I  helped  to  row 
you  down  the  river  last  summer.  As  I  have  been  always 
very  busy  I  have  been  but  once  at  the  chase  ;  but  I  killed 
a  sable,  and  I  kept  it  on  purpose  to  repay  your  kindness 
for  the  knife  and  flints  you  gave  me."  Seeing  that  this 
poor  fellow  was  misery  personified,  not  a  shirt  on  his  back, 
and  the  skin  dress  he  had  on  all  in  tatters,  I  refused  to 
accept  his  offer.  He  burst  into  tears  and  was  about  to 
leave  the  room  when  I  made  him  return,  and  took  his 
sable  from  him  in  return  for  what  I  had  ordered  to  be 
given  him,  at  which  he  seemed  quite  happy. 

"  Look  further  on,"  said  Uncle  Fritz.  "  Find  that  which 
I  have  marked  *  A  Gentle  Hint.'  It  tells  how  they  cut 
short  visits  when  the  stores  run  low." 


282  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1812. 

And  Hugh  read  first :  — 

A  GENTLE   HINT. 

The  Kamtchadales  are  not  only  grateful  for  favors,  but 
they  think  it  absolutely  necessary  to  make  some  return  for 
a  present,  and  are  highly  offended  if  it  is  refused.  One 
of  my  Chinese  servants,  who  was  a  very  good-hearted 
fellow,  was  so  affected  at  the  circumstance  I  have  told 
and  the  miserable  appearance  of  the  boy,  that  he  went 
and  brought  one  of  his  blue  Nankin  shirts  and  made  him 
a  present  of  it. 

All  the  Kamtchadales  I  met  with  were  Christians  of 
the  Greek  persuasion,  and  appeared  attentive  to  their 
devotions.  Their  hospitality  is  excessive,  and  it  is  carried 
to  an  extreme  amongst  themselves  that  becomes  ridicu- 
lous. They  pay  one  another  visits  which  last  for  a  month 
or  six  weeks,  until  the  generous  host,  finding  his  stock  of 
provisions  exhausted,  is  forced  to  give  a  hint  to  his  guest 
to  take  his  departure.  This  is  managed  by  presenting  to 
him  at  dinner  a  dish  called  tolkootha,  a  kind  of  olio,  or 
hodge-podge,  composed  of  a  number  of  meats,  fish,  and 
vegetables,  all  mixed  together,  and  very  difficult  to  prepare. 
It  is  the  dernier  ressort  of  the  master  of  the  house,  and  the 
moment  this  dish  is  served  up  the  guests  take  the  hint 
and  leave  him  the  following  day  without  feeling  in  the 
least  dissatisfied. 

The  first  thing  a  traveller  must  do,  on  arriving  at  a 
Kamtchadale  house,  is  to  treat  the  family  with  tea,  of 
which  they  are  excessively  fond.  I  once  saw  a  Kamtcha- 
dale drink  eleven  half- pint  bowls  of  tea  at  a  sitting,  and 
he  declared  he  could  have  completed  the  dozen  had  there 
been  water  enough  in  the  kettle.    They  speak  very  slowly, 


i8i2.  PRINCE  ZACHAR.  283 

with  rather  an  effeminate  voice,  making  use  of  the  simplest 
language,  but  almost  always  with  good  sense.  When  they 
do  not  wish  to  cOme  to  the  point  directly  they  convey 
their  meaning  by  some  curious  allegory,  having  relation  to 
bears,  dogs,  fishing,  and  hunting. 

PRINCE  ZACHAR. 

A  circumstance  occurred  whilst  we  were  at  Govenskoy 
that  inspired  me  with  respect  for  the  greatness  of  soul,  the 
courage,  and  the  sang-froid  exhibited  by  my  friend,  the 
Prince  Zachar,  and  revealed  to  me  at  once  the  cause  of 
the  great  influence  he  possessed  over  the  Karaikees  of  the 
coast.  My  Klutchee  Kyoorchiks  begged  of  me  to  give 
them  some  watky  to  buy  reindeer,  silk,  parkas,  and  boots, 
and  one  of  the  prince's  men,  who  had  drunk  too  much  of 
it,  became  quite  furious.  With  a  large  knife  in  his  hand 
he  sought  the  prince,  crying  out  that  he  was  an  unjust 
man,  and  he  would  stab  him.  The  other  Karaikees  tried 
in  vain  to  stop  him  until  he  had  got  quite  near  to  the 
prince's  dwelling,  when  he  called  with  all  his  force,  "Come 
out,  Zachar,  if  you  dare  !  I  am  prepared  to  kill  you  ! " 
Zachar,  who  was  quietly  drinking  tea  with  me,  heard  all  of 
a  sudden  this  extraordinary  summons,  which  the  interpreter 
immediately  explained  to  me.  The  prince  put  down  his 
cup  of  tea  and,  rising  slowly  from  his  seat,  went  out  of  the 
jourta.  I  followed  him  closely,  with  a  pair  of  loaded 
pistols,  which  I  always  kept  ready  in  case  of  necessity. 
When  he  perceived  that  I  followed  him  he  desired  the 
interpreter  would  tell  me  not  to  interfere,  as  he  would  very 
soon  settle  the  affair  himself.  During  this  time  the  drunk- 
en Karaikee  foamed  with  rage  and  was  trying  to  extricate 
himself  from  the  crowd  that  surrounded  him.     Zachar, 


284  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1812. 

who  had  aheady  thrown  off  his  parka,  now  unbuttoned 
his  shirt,  exposed  his  breast,  and  ordering  the  crowd  to 
stand  aside,  advanced  boldly  up  to  the  Karaikee,  and  then, 
with  a  terrible  voice  and  an  undaunted  countenance,  he 
said  to  him,  "  Here  is  the  breast  of  your  prince  ;  strike  at 
it  if  you  dare  ! "  The  Karaikee  seemed  thunderstruck ; 
he  raised  his  hand,  but  was  afraid  to  strike,  and  the  knife 
fell  to  the  ground.  "  Coward,"  said  Zachar,  "  you  have 
saved  your  life,  for  if  you  had  aimed  a  blow  at  me  I 
would  have  thrown  you  down  at  tha  same  instant,  and 
your  own  knife  should  have  drawn  your  heart's  blood." 
He  then  ordered  his  men  to  confine  him  till  he  should  be 
sober,  and  returned  with  me  to  finish  his  tea. 


THE  REINDEER. 

The  reindeer  may  fairly  be  called  the  ox  of  these  coun- 
tries, and  not  the  horse,  as  some  people  have  called  him. 
He  does  not  possess  either  the  noble  temper  or  the  docil- 
ity of  the  latter  animal.  When  the  snow  is  deep  and  the 
roads  are  difficult,  if  the  reindeer  be  pressed  to  exert  him- 
self, he  becomes  restive  and  stubborn,  and  neither  beating 
nor  coaxing  will  move  him.  He  will  lie  down  and  remain 
in  one  spot  for  several  hours,  until  hunger  presses  him  for- 
ward ;  and  if,  at  the  second  attempt,  he  is  again  embar- 
rassed, he  will  lie  down  and  perish  in  the  snow  for  want  of 
food. 

A  Karaikee  related  to  me  the  story  of  a  keeper  whose 
herd  was  dispersed  in  that  way,  but  who,  by  very  great 
exertions,  after  four  or  five  days,  collected  them  together 
again.  However,  he  found  he  had  wandered  far  beyond 
his  usual  haunts,  and  lost  his  way,  so  that  he  remained 
and  roamed  about  with  his  herd  nearly  two  years  before 


i8i2.  SLEEPING  IN  SNOW.  285 

he  had  the  good  fortune  to  meet  with  any  of  the  Reindeer 
Karaikees. 

We  had  now  arrived  at  the  last  Karaikee  ostrog  on  that 
coast,  and  it  became  necessary  to  direct  our  course  to 
Kammina,  across  the  moors,  for  two  hundred  and  fifty 
versts,  where  there  was  scarcely  a  forest,  much  less  a  hut, 
to  afford  us  shelter  from  the  weather,  should  it  prove  bad 
again. 

Here  I  separated  from  my  friends,  the  Toyune  of 
Evashka  and  the  Prince  Zachar,  with  real  regret,  for  they 
had  behaved  to  me  with  the  kindness  of  brothers.  On 
parting  Zachar  observed  to  me,  "You  are  too  late  in 
the  season ;  but  you  must  do  the  best  you  can.  I  there- 
fore advise  you,  even  though  the  distance  will  be  greater, 
to  follow,  as  much  as  possible,  the  course  of  the  creeks 
and  rivers.  There  you  will  find  shelter  should  a  poorga 
commence ;  but  on  the  moors,  at  this  late  period,  it  is 
very  dangerous." 

SLEEPING  IN   SNOW. 

Early  on  the  morning  of  the  19th  we  started  again.  It 
began  to  snow  not  long  after  our  departure,  and  before 
midday  the  wind  had  increased  to  a  storm,  and  my  guide 
said  we  should  have  a  regular  poorga.  We  therefore 
directed  our  course  for  a  small  creek  or  branch  that  unites 
Veyvinskoia  to  Kammina  River.  We  were  not  long  before 
we  got  there,  and  followed  its  winding  course,  whilst  its 
high  banks  defended  us  from  the  rigors  of  the  snow-storm. 
After  travelling  in  this  way  about  an  hour,  we  stopped  to 
prepare  our  dinner,  but  found  the  wind  and  snow  beat 
over  the  banks  with  such  violence  that  we  could  not  keep 
our  fire  burning  five  minutes  at  a  time.     After  many  at- 


286  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1812. 

tempts  we  persisted  no  longer,  and  contented  ourselves 
with  eating  some  cold  boiled  venison  that  had  fortunately 
been  prepared  the  day  before  \  and  very  happy  were  we 
that  my  Chinese  cook  had  been  so  provident.  By  the 
time  we  had  finished  our  cold  repast,  we  found  it  impossi- 
ble to  proceed  any  farther,  and,  drawing  our  sledges  close 
under  the  windward  bank  of  the  creek,  with  the  dogs  in 
front,  we  passed  the  night  on  this  dreary  spot.  A  dismal 
night  it  was,  for  the  snow  and  sleet  beat  in  whirlwinds  over 
the  bank  with  unceasing  violence ;  and  it  was  impossible 
to  hold  one's  face  towards  the  wind  for  an  instant.  Al- 
though I  slept  in  a  kibitka  that  I  tried  to  close  up  as  tightly 
as  possible,  the  snow  beat  into  the  crevices ;  and  when  I 
first  awoke  I  found  myself  completely  covered,  and  with 
difficulty  extricated  myself.  The  dogs,  sledges,  and  men 
were  so  entirely  concealed  that  I  could  only  discern  the 
marks  where  they  lay;  and  I  beat  about  and  trampled 
amongst  them  some  time  before  I  could  rouse  them. 

As  the  latter  part  of  the  night  was  warmer,  and  the  snow 
fell  in  immense  quantities,  or  rather  drifted  over  us,  we 
slept  very  warmly  and  comfortably.  On  the  20th,  the 
wind  having  abated,  and  the  weather  proving  mild,  we  de- 
termined to  set  off  again,  first  spending  an  hour  or  two  in 
shaking  the  snow  off  our  clothes,  baggage,  and  sledges, 
where  it  was  found  in  abundance.  It  was  absolutely 
necessary  to  depart,  for  not  a  stick  of  wood,  nor  even  a 
twig,  could  we  find  to  make  a  fire ;  and  we  travelled  on 
until  near  eleven  o'clock  in  the  day  before  we  arrived 
where  there  was  wood  enough  to  boil  the  tea-kettle.  With 
what  pleasure  and  satisfaction  did  we  swallow  a  warm  and 
cheering  cup  of  tea,  that  delicious  beverage,  far  exceeding 
every  other  when  one  is  cold  and  weary  !  Ardent  spirits 
will  warm  you  more  quickly,  but  their  effects  are  not  so 


i8i2.  SLEIGHING  IN  MAY.  28/ 

lasting,  and  occasion  a  stupor  that  makes  you  feel  after- 
wards quite  drowsy. 


SLEIGHING  IN   MAY. 

We  got  off  early  on  the  8th,  and,  although  the  surface 
of  the  snow  was  still  soft,  I  found  we  got  forward  much 
better  than  on  the  day  before.  Travellers  in  this  country 
during  the  spring  should  always  take  advantage  of  the 
night ;  indeed,  the  sun  in  the  day  being  excessively  hot, 
shining  upon  you  for  fourteen  hours,  and  thawing  a  deep 
snow,  is  sufficient  to  prove  the  advantage  of  travelling  by 
night.  A  tedious  spring  day,  in  a  high  northern  latitude, 
with  a  hot  sun  reflected  from  the  glassy  surface  of  an  im- 
mense snow-covered  plain,  entirely  destitute  of  trees,  not 
only  inflames  the  eyes,  but  creates  a  lassitude  of  the  body 
and  mind.  We  had  now  a  plain  to  cross  of  about  a  hun- 
dred versts  in  length,  and  about  twenty  versts  in  breadth, 
bounded  on  either  side  by  steep  mountains.  Here  the 
snow,  which  we  frequently  fathomed,  was  often  four,  and 
never  less  than  three  orshins  deep,  a  measurement  equal 
to  from  seven  to  nine  English  feet.  We  got  away  early 
on  the  1 2th  of  May,  and  took  care  to  move  briskly,  the 
surface  being  frozen,  and  still  strong  enough  to  bear  the 
deer.  The  guide  directed  his  course  towards  the  centre 
of  the  plain,  from  an  idea  that  when  the  snow  became  soft, 
we  should  find  it  not  so  deep  there  as  close  under  the 
mountains.  However,  it  proved  the  contrary;  and  we 
were  not  a  little  alarmed  at  the  fearful  distance  that  lay 
between  us  and  the  only  places  where  we  could  procure 
food  for  our  deer,  now  scarcely  able  to  crawl,  either  by 
driving  or  coaxing. 

Although  I  beat  the  road  myself  for  them,  on  snow- 


2SS  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE,  1812. 

shoes,  they  plunged  in  so  deeply  as  to  be  obliged  to  stop 
and  lie  down  every  ten  or  twelve  yards,  panting  for  breath. 
My  Karaikee  interpreter,  with  one  of  the  Tongusees,  drew 
the  sledge  after  them ;  and  about  one  o'clock  in  the  day 
we  were  all  so  worn  down  we  were  obliged  to  rest  our- 
selves. To  add  to  our  disappointment  the  nearest  moun- 
tain appeared  yet  a  considerable  distance  off.  After  a 
while  the  driver  said  we  must  continue  our  journey,  and 
force  the  deer  on  in  the  best  way  we  could,  for  if  they  re- 
mained twenty  or  thirty  hours  more  without  food,  they 
would  be  too  weak  to  proceed  at  all,  and  must  perish  in 
the  snow.  Indeed,  I  was  well  aware  of  the  danger,  and 
was  prepared  to  walk  as  long  as  I  had  a  sinew  to  support 
my  tired  limbs. 

Having  been  every  day  since  I  left  Towisk  on  snow- 
shoes,  I  became  a  practised  pedestrian  in  this  way;  nor 
found  myself  inferior  to  the  natives  of  the  country.  In 
fact,  without  snow-shoes,  I  should  have  been  like  a  man 
in  the  middle  of  the  ocean,  who  knew  not  how  to  swim, 
and  was  without  even  a  chip  to  save  him  from  drowning. 
It  was  impossible  to  drive  through  such  snows,  when  a 
deer  with  the  greatest  difficulty  carried  a  small  portion  of 
baggage,  and  when  that  oftentimes  was  obliged  to  be  taken 
from  his  back  to  enable  him  to  extricate  himself.  I  had 
taken  care  also  to  teach  my  servants  to  walk  in  snow-shoes 
whilst  in  Kamtchatka. 

Between  six  and  seven  in  the  evening  I  thought  I  per- 
ceived the  last  row  of  trees  which  intercepted  our  view  of 
the  mountains ;  and  we  pushed  eagerly  on  to  pass  it.  Our 
disappointment  was  excessive  when  we  could  plainly  dis- 
tinguish two  more  intersections;  but  again,  not  seeing 
anything  beyond  them,  we  consoled  ourselves  with  the 
idea  that  those  were  certainly  the  last.     Arriving  at  them. 


lSi2.  SLEIGHING  IN  MAY.  289 

we  were  chagrined  to  find  the  largest  stream  we  had  yet 
encountered.  This,  however,  after  being  completely  soaked 
through,  and  our  strength  almost  exhausted,  we  contrived 
to  pass.  When  on  the  other  side,  there  were  yet  some 
versts  between  us  and  the  foot  of  the  mountain,  which  the 
Karaikee  declared  he  was  too  weak  to  accomplish.  The 
Tongusee  likewise  complained,  but  said  we  were  now  so 
near  that,  if  I  could  give  him  a  little  food  of  any  sort  to 
recruit  his  strength,  we  might  remain  on  the  spot  where 
we  were  until  the  baggage-deer  came  up  with  us,  while  he 
would  take  his  own-  to  the  mountains  to  pasture.  I  now 
recollected  that  my  cook  formerly  kept  in  my  sledge  one 
of  the  small  vessels  with  the  deer's  feet  he  had  boiled 
down.  On  examination  I  found  it,  together  with  a  little 
salt,  and  we  were  all  not  a  little  rejoiced  thereat,  being 
at  a  great  distance  from  my  baggage,  and  having  taken 
nothing  but  water  all  the  day.  As  we  had  no  bread,  and 
but  a  small  portion  of  jelly  for  each  person,  we  were  obliged 
to  make  up  the  deficiency  by  drinking  two  or  three  large 
draughts  of  water. 

Scanty  as  was  our  repast,  we  were  all  much  refreshed. 
I  had  often  supped  more  plentifully,  but  certainly  never 
with  a  better  appetite.  Immediately  after,  the  Tongusee, 
whom  I  armed  with  a  Spanish  knife  and  a  spear  to  protect 
him  against  the  bears,  left  us,  whilst  the  Karaikee  and  my- 
self collected  wood,  made  a  large  fire,  and  placing  a  quan- 
tity of  bushes  before  it  on  the  snow,  wrapped  ourselves  up 
in  our  parkas  and  went  to  sleep. 

Between  three  and  four  in  the  morning  of  the  13th,  I 
was  awaked  by  the  arrival  of  my  servants  and  the  baggage- 
deer.  They  had  followed  the  track  we  had  made,  without 
which,  they  said,  the  deer  would  never  have  been  able  to 
accomplish  the  distance.    We  now  got  a  good  breakfast,  and 


290  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1812. 

then  started  again  under  the  hottest  sun  I  had  yet  expe- 
rienced. Both  deer  and  men  suffered  so  much  from  the 
heat  they  could  scarcely  crawl,  and  it  was  eleven  o'clock 
before  we  arrived  at  the  mountain.  Our  deer  were  obliged 
to  go  to  the  summit  before  moss  could  be  procured. 

After  getting  over  the  first  mountain,  on  looking  round 
to  examine  our  party,  we  found  these  two  fellows  had 
absconded  with  two  of  the  reindeer  that  were  not  laden. 
This  was  a  most  unpleasant  circumstance,  as  I  was  told 
that  they  knew  the  road  better  than  any  of  the  rest.  The 
road  proved  like  that  before  described,  except  that  the 
snow  was  not  quite  so  deep.  Descending  the  mountain, 
we  came  to  an  open  stream,  narrow,  deep,  and  rapid,  and 
were  obliged  to  make  a  bridge  to  take  over  the  sledges, 
the  deer  going  about  a  verst  higher  up,  where  there  was  a 
spot  fordable.  One  of  them  had  the  slender  remains  of 
my  stock  of  biscuit  and  my  skin  coverings  on  his  back, 
which  he  contrived  to  shake  from  him  into  the  stream ; 
and,  before  we  could  recover  them,  the  biscuits  were  all 
completely  soaked  and  spoiled.  Pitching  our  tent  on  a 
rising  ground  on  the  opposite  side,  I  dried  a  dozen  of 
them  that  were  not  broken  in  the  sun ;  the  rest  we  con- 
sumed at  once,  as  we  perceived  they  would  not  keep  in 
that  state. 

A  MOUNTAIN  HOME. 

It  was  my  intention,  on  going  to  rest,  to  have  awakened 
about  ten  o'clock  at  night  in  order  to  set  out  early ;  but 
the  severe  fatigue  we  had  undergone  the  day  before  made 
me  sleep  soundly  until  after  midnight.  On  awaking  I 
called  aloud  for  some  time  before  any  one  came.  At  length 
one  of  my  Chinese  servants  entered  my  tent,  and  told  me 
the  Tongusees  were  nowhere  to  be  found  !     I  now  roused 


I8i2.  A  MOUNTAIN  HOME.  29 1 

my  guide  and  the  Karaikee,  when,  to  our  grief  and  aston- 
ishment, we  perceived  these  unfeeling  rascals  had  gone  off 
in  the  night,  not  leaving  us  even  a  single  deer  for  food, 
and  returning  by  the  road  they  came.  We  were  now  five 
in  number,  namely,  the  Cossack,  a  Karaikee,  two  Chinese 
servants,  and  myself,  left,  with  all  our  baggage,  on  one  of 
the  highest  mountains  in  Siberia,  in  a  wild,  uninhabited 
country  !  We  had  aheady  been  twelve  days  from  Towisk, 
and  had  therefore  every  reason  to  believe  we  were  not 
more  than  three  or  four  days'  march  from  some  Tongusee 
tabboon ;  but,  as  we  were  all  totally  ignorant  of  the  road, 
it  was  difficult  to  decide  which  way  to  direct  our  course. 
The  Cossack,  who  did  not  deserve  the  name,  was  a  per- 
fect woman  in  character,  more  alarmed  than  anybody 
else,  frightening  the  young  Karaikee  and  my  servants,  and 
proposing  a  hundred  different  schemes.  I  would  not  listen 
to  any  of  them,  until  I  had  weighed  the  matter  maturely, 
and  examined  well  the  country  about  us.  The  first  thing, 
however,  was  to  see  what  stock  of  provisions  we  had.  I 
found  it  to  consist  of  a  few  pounds  of  reindeer  meat  almost 
spoiled,  two  or  three  pounds  of  rice,  a  small  quantity  of 
Manilla  sweet  chocolate,  our  biscuits  reduced  in  number 
to  twelve,  about  the  size  of  a  dollar  each,  two  or  three 
small  lumps  of  sugar  remaining,  and  a  very  small  quantity 
indeed  of  salt  and  pepper,  but  fortunately  a  little  box  full 
of  good  tea.  After  this  review  of  our  provisions,  I  felt 
assured  that,  with  rigid  economy,  we  could  keep  our 
bodies  and  souls  together  for  at  least  twelve  or  fifteen 
days.  In  the  mean  time  it  was  highly  probable  I  should 
be  able  to  shoot  something  to  assist  in  preventing  us  from 
starving.  I  had  a  map  of  Kamtchatka  that  included  the 
shores  of  the  Ochotsk  Sea,  on  the  Siberian  side,  as  far  as 
Zamsk,  and,  assisted  by  a  pocket-compass,  showed  me  on 


292  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE,  1812. 

which  side  the  sea  lay.  But  the  Cossack  declared  he  had 
seen  it  the  day  before  from  the  mountain  on  the  opposite 
side  of  the  rivulet.  I  therefore  determined  we  should  go 
together  to  a  high  peak  only  a  few  versts  distant,  to  assure 
ourselves  whether  it  was  or  was  not  the  sea  that  he  had 
seen. 

When  about  to  depart  we  looked  in  vain  for  our  snow- 
shoes,  of  which  it  appeared  those  fellows  had  robbed  us 
to  prevent  our  overtaking  them  suddenly.  About  six 
o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  1 7th  we  left  the  encamp- 
ment, and,  although  we  kept  in  the  tracks  of  the  reindeer, 
we  sunk  above  our  knees  at  every  step  and  suffered  the 
severest  fatigue  before  attaining  the  height  from  whence 
we  expected  to  behold  the  sea.  At  the  first  view  the 
expanse  appeared  to  me  no  more  than  an  immense  extent 
of  low  ground  covered  with  fog.  The  Cossack  persisted 
to  the  contrary  and  showed  me  a  valley  on  the  opposite 
side  where  we  could  distinguish  the  trees  and  which 
appeared  so  very  different  from  that  before  us  that  I  was 
induced  to  give  in  to  his  opinion  of  its  being  the  ocean. 
Not  feeling  perfectly  satisfied,  however,  on  the  subject  I 
told  him  we  must  visit,  on  the  following  morning,  the 
ridge  of  mountains  that  surrounded  us  in  the  form  of  a 
crescent,  about  thirty  versts  in  extent.  This,  I  added, 
might  be  easily  accomplished  by  making  ourselves  snow- 
shoes  with  the  boards  of  our  sledges.  He  seemed  lost, 
and  wavering  every  minute,  sometimes  proposing  one 
thing  and  sometimes  another,  and  at  length  asked  that  he 
and  the  Karaikee  might  go  in  search  of  reindeer  men, 
while  we  remained  on  the  mountain  to  await  their  return. 
I  was  obliged  to  put  a  stop  to  any  further  proposals  of 
that  kind  by  telling  him  that  I  was  perfectly  aware  of  his 
cowardice  and  deceit,  and  that,  as  I  was  ignorant  of  the 


i8i2.  A  DISAPPOINTMENT.  293 

character  of  the  Karaikee,  I  should  watch  them  both  nar- 
rowly. "  You  see,"  said  I,  "  how  I  am  armed,  and  I  shall 
put  the  first  man  to  death  who  attempts  anything  improper 
or  disobeys  my  orders."  This  threat  had  the  desired 
effect ;  he  became  instantly  more  obedient.  On  my 
return  to  the  tent  I  armed  my  Chmese  servants,  privately 
desiring  them  to  keep  a  strict  watch  on  the  other  two,  as 
I  had  reason  to  believe  they  wished  to  rob  us  of  our  pro- 
visions and  make  their  escape.  At  night,  before  I  went  to 
sleep,  I  collected  all  the  provisions  together,  also  my  little 
axe,  knife,  guns,  and  pistols,  and  slept  near  them.  The 
Karaikee  and  Cossack  I  placed  in  the  middle  of  the  tent, 
and  my  Chinese  servants  at  each  side  of  them. 

I  should  have  premised  that  previously  to  going  to  rest 
I  visited  another  height,  about  two  versts  off,  on  the  same 
side  as  that  where  our  tent  stood.  Though  I  could  not 
discover  the  sea  I  had  the  good  fortune  to  find  my  snow- 
shoes  amongst  the  bushes,  the  Tongusees  having  hidden 
them  purposely. 

On  the  1 8th  of  May,  at  three  o'clock  in  the  morning, 
we  set  out  on  our  excursion  after  I  had  armed  myself 
with  two  guns,  in  full  hopes  that,  as  we  had  seen  some 
tracks  in  coming  up  the  mountain,  we  should  have  the 
good  fortune  to  meet  with  a  bear.  With  much  labor  and 
fatigue  we  contrived  to  climb  the  summit  of  the  highest 
mountain  of  the  opposite  ridge.  We  had  now  an  exten- 
sive view  of  the  country  around  us  and  were  most  wo- 
fully  disappointed  in  beholding  the  sea  that  we  thought 
we  had  seen  the  day  before  transmuted  into  trees,  hills, 
and  plains  !  We  now  found  ourselves  immediately  oppo- 
site our  tent,  having  a  steep  descent  to  make,  a  rivulet  of 
considerable  size  to  cross  in  the  valley,  and  the  high 
mountain  to  ascend  on  which  it  stood.     As  the  snow  was 


294  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1812. 

soft  and  my  snow-shoes  large  I  drew  them  both  together, 
and,  sitting  down  on  them,  held  my  two  guns  with  my  left 
arm,  the  butts  resting  on  the  snow-shoes,  and  with  a  short 
stick  in  my  right  hand  to  guide  myself  I  went  down  with 
the  rapidity  of  lightning.  The  Cossack  followed  safely  in 
my  path. 

LOST   IN  A   WILDERNESS. 

Our  companions  were  greatly  dejected  on  hearing  that 
all  appearance  had  vanished  of  the  sea,  which  the  Cos- 
sack was  so  confident  of  having  seen.  The  Karaikee  said 
he  had  been  considering  the  distance  we  had  made,  and 
thought  it  was  too  great  to  attempt  to  return,  and  he  was 
willing  now  to  obey  my  orders  and  accompany  me 
through  whatever  road  I  chose  to  take.  I  explained  to 
them  the  necessity  of  firmness  and  an  unaltered  resolu- 
tion, telling  them  that  they  must  put  their  trust  in  God, 
while  exerting  every  nerve  and  all  their  fortitude  of  mind 
to  keep  themselves  from  sinking  under  the  incessant 
fatigue  we  must  inevitably  experience,  for  that  we  had  but 
a  scanty  allowance  of  food,  and  must  push  on  in  full 
hopes  of  being  able  to  procure  more  by  the  road,  though 
we  could  form  no  judgment  as  to  when  the  period  of  our 
troubles  and  labors  would  arrive. 

I  made  the  Cossack  and  the  Chinese  join  their  hands 
to  ours,  and,  turning  to  the  East,  cross  themselves  as  I 
did  to  confirm  their  promise,  assuring  them  that  I  would 
eat,  drink,  sleep,  and  work  the  same  as  the  rest,  nor  require 
of  them  one  single  act  that  I  was  not  ready  and  willing 
to  assist  in  performing  myself.  We  left  on  this  spot  every- 
thing superfluous  in  the  way  of  clothes,  etc.,  making  the 
sledges  as  light  as  possible.  The  Cossack  and  myself  led 
the  way.     I  soon  perceived  that  we  should  have  some 


I8i2.  LOST  IN  A    WILDERNESS.  295 

difficulty  in  accomplishing  the  business,  but  the  danger 
was  not  so  great  as  we  imagined.  Having  only  a  scanty 
portion  of  food  we  drank  tea  twice  every  twenty-four  hours, 
and  in  the  morning  we  took  thin  rice-water,  with  a  small 
lump  of  chocolate  each,  to  make  it  palatable.  We  per- 
ceived that,  laborious  as  was  our  march,  this  nourishment 
was  enough  to  keep  us  alive  until  it  should  please  Heaven 
to  direct  us  where  we  might  procure,  with  our  guns,  the 
means  of  living  well.  I  was  pleased  at  finding  my  com- 
panions more  cheerful  and  seemingly  determined  to  exert 
all  their  fortitude,  courage,  and  perseverance  so  necessary 
to  conquer  difficulties  and  insure  our  safety.  We  were  an 
unfortunate  little  band,  thrown  upon  a  wide  wilderness,  but 
relying  on  heaven  and  our  good  stars,  entirely  ignorant  of 
the  country,  and  having  nothing  but  a  pocket-compass  to 
direct  us  towards  the  ocean,  as  to  which,  whether  it  was 
one  hundred  or  twenty  versts  distant,  we  could  not  pos- 
sibly tell.  ... 

On  the  31st  we  threw  everything  away  except  what  was 
absolutely  necessary.  Just  as  we  were  about  to  depart, 
on  the  evening  of  this  day,  two  wild  geese  flew  over  us.  I 
fired  at  them  and  thought  I  had  missed,  but  my  Chinese 
boy  declared  he  heard  the  shot  strike  and  had  seen  them 
alight,  about  two  hundred  yards  off,  on  a  spot  which  he 
pointed  out.  The  Cossack  and  myself  repaired  thither 
with  all  possible  speed.  One  of  the  geese  fled  at  our  ap- 
proach, and  the  other  that  was  wounded  remained  in  the 
middle  of  a  large  bog,  where,  if  shot,  I  was  fearful  we 
should  find  great  trouble  in  getting  it.  After  shooting  it  I 
entered  the  bog,  but  found  the  surface  of  a  tough  sod  that 
sank  down,  bringing  the  mud  and  water  to  my  middle 
without  breaking.  I  had  used  the  precaution  to  take  a 
large  stick  in  my  hand,  or  I  should  not  have  been  able  to 


296  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1812. 

extricate  myself.  The  sod  at  length  broke  and  let  me 
down  to  my  arm-pits,  and  I  was  obliged  to  tell  the  Cos- 
sack, who  was  a  much  lighter  man,  to  try  what  he  could 
do.  He  succeeded  remarkably  well  until  he  got  nearly 
back  with  the  goose,  when  he  sunk  suddenly  up  to  his 
neck,  and  began  to  roar  and  bawl  in  a  most  hideous  man- 
ner, being  so  alarmed  at  the  same  time  that  he  could 
hardly  make  use  of  the  stick.  I  had  the  utmost  difficulty 
to  get  near  him  with  the  other  stick,  which  he  laid  hold 
of,  and  I  pulled  him  out,  almost  suffocated  with  mud. 
Dangerous  as  was  the  situation  of  my  companion,  his 
ridiculous  figure  made  me  burst  into  a  fit  of  laughter,  and 
the  Chinese  joined  me  heartily ;  this  caused  him  to  scream 
the  more  loudly,  in  order  to  impress  me  with  the  fuller 
idea  of  his  perilous  situation.  When  extricated  from  the 
bog  he  crossed  himself  a  dozen  times  and  then  laughed  as 
heartily  as  myself.  Indeed,  the  goose  was  such  a  prize  as 
gave  us  spirits  to  laugh.  .  .  . 

In  the  evening  I  went  to  the  summit  of  the  mountain 
again,  imagining  that  as  the  sun  descended  I  might  dis- 
cover better  what  was  on  the  opposite  side  of  some  exten- 
sive low  grounds  that  lay  before  us.  Whilst  there,  and 
holding  my  compass  to  take  the  direction  for  our  route  of 
the  following  day,  I  thought  I  plainly  saw,  at  a  great  dis- 
tance to  the  northward  and  eastward,  three  or  four  men, 
and  as  many  reindeer  or  horses.  I  immediately  called 
out  to  the  two  Chinese  to  light  a  large  fire,  and  making 
the  Cossack  and  Karaikee  come  up  to  me  endeavored  to 
point  out  to  them  the  objects  that  had  just  met  my  eyes. 
Although  I  felt  confident  I  saw  men  and  animals  moving, 
I  could  not  with  all  my  care  direct  their  sight  so  as  to  dis- 
tinguish them,  and  they  persisted  in  saying  they  could  see 
nothing.    This  made  me  quite  unhappy.  ... 


i8i2.  LOST  IN  A    WILDERNESS.  297 

Scarcely  had  we  made  our  fire  when  the  grass  all  around 
us  was  in  a  blaze,  obliging  us  to  move  to  another  spot ; 
and  the  fire  raged  with  such  violence  it  was  in  vain  to 
attempt  extinguishing  it.  At  length  the  woods — the  whole 
country  around  —  were  on  fire.  We  were  not  sorry  for  an 
accident  that  might,  perhaps,  if  any  of  the  natives  were 
near,  bring  them  to  the  spot.  It  also  helped  to  destroy 
some  large  swarms  of  mosquitoes  that  plagued  us  not  a 
little  on  our  arrival.  Indeed,  we  suffered  almost  as  much 
from  these  insects  as  from  fatigue  and  hunger.  Those  fly- 
ing leeches  of  Siberia  never  quitted  us  day  or  night,  unless 
when  on  the  mountains,  or  when  the  wind  blew  hard 
enough  to  sweep  them  away.  We  got  off"  early  on  the  4th, 
and  had  a  most  fatiguing  time  till  twelve  o'clock,  when  the 
sun  became  so  oppressive  it  was  impossible  to  proceed  any 
farther  without  refreshment.  The  skin  being  chafed  from 
our  shoulders,  and  our  feet  sore,  added  to  the  difficulty  of 
wading  the  deep  marshes  that  occurred  at  every  instant ;  we 
were  all  completely  exhausted.  My  two  Chinese,  for  the 
first  time,  lay  down  and  began  to  cry  !  I  consoled  them 
with  the  assurance  that  we  must  either  discern  the  sea,  or 
arrive  at  some  place  where  we  should  find  plenty  of  food,  in 
the  course  of  a  day  or  two  ;  and  that  it  was  a  folly  to  give 
up  when  we  were  now  at  the  moment  of  getting  over  our 
difficulties.  Taking  out  the  rest  of  the  small  biscuits  that 
I  had  carefully  preserved,  I  divided  them  equally  between 
the  Cossack,  the  Karaikee,  and  themselves,  and  having 
boiled  our  kettle,  and  drunk  heartily  of  tea,  the  whole 
party  was  soon  put  into  good  spirits  again.  As  I  kept  no 
part  of  this  slender  provision  for  myself,  it  was  some  time 
before  I  could  prevail  upon  the  two  Chinese  to  eat  their 
biscuit  without  sharing  it  with  me.  However,  I  would 
not  take  it  from  them  ;  for,  although  I  was  tired,  I  did  not 
feel  my  strength  exhausted  as  they  did. 


298  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1812. 

While  my  companions  slept  I  drew  on  my  boots,  that 
scarcely  deserved  the  name,  and  made  an  excursion  with 
my  gun  to  see  if  I  could  find  any  game,  and  also  to  ex- 
amine the  route  necessary  to  be  pursued  in  the  afternoon. 
It  grieved  me  considerably  to  perceive  that  the  impedi- 
ments we  had  met  in  the  morning  increased  so  much  as  to 
render  it  necessary  to  proceed  due  south.  I  was  almost 
in  despair,  when  I  beheld  six  large  sea-gulls  flying  in  that 
direction,  and  which  at  length  seemed  to  alight  near  a 
forest  some  distance  off,  which  place,  however,  I  thought 
we  should  be  able  to  reach,  by  exerting  ourselves,  before 
seven  or  eight  in  the  evening.  I  returned  immediately  to 
my  companions,  who  were  not  a  little  delighted  by  this 
joyful  news,  the  Karaikee  assuring  me  there  must  be  a 
large  river  or  lake  near,  as  the  kind  of  gulls  I  had  seen 
strongly  indicated  this. 

We  now  found  the  way  moss-covered,  dry,  and  even, 
and  between  six  and  seven  in  the  evening  arrived  at  the 
forest.  To  our  great  astonishment  we  beheld  what  we 
supposed  a  narrow  lake  of  great  length,  forming  a  cres- 
cent, the  opposite  banks  being  also  covered  with  fine 
timber.  Here  we  determined  to  pass  the  night,  and 
pitched  our  tent  behind  a  small  copse,  that  concealed  it 
from  the  lake,  in  order  to  prevent  its  frightening  away  any 
water-fowl  that  might  visit  it.  This  being  accomplished, 
leaving  the  Chinese  and  Cossack  to  boil  the  tea-kettle,  the 
Karaikee  and  myself  went  to  examine  the  lake.  On  ap- 
proaching the  banks  I  discovered  two  small  ducks  quite 
near  the  shore,  and  had  the  good  fortune  to  shoot  them 
both  at  one  shot.  Running  to  the  water-side  to  pick 
them  up,  God  only  knows  the  inexpressible  joy  that  filled 
our  hearts  when  we  beheld  the  water  move,  and  satisfied 
our  senses  that  we  were  on  the  banks  of  a  large  river.     It 


i8i2.  LOST  IN  A    WILDERNESS.  299 

was  somewhat  remarkable  that  the  obstacles  I  had  met 
with  during  the  last  two  days,  and  which  disheartened  me 
so  much,  had  yet,  by  turning  me  aside  from  the  route  I 
wished  to  take,  been  the  cause  of  our  falling  in  with  this 
fine  stream  so  favorable  to  our  wishes.  We  felt  satisfied 
it  must  bring  us  to  the  ocean,  from  which,  by  all  appear- 
ances, we  could  not  be  far  removed.  My  companions 
were  overjoyed  beyond  measure  at  this  discovery,  since  we 
could  now  make  a  raft,  and  descend  to  the  sea  without 
undergoing  such  severe  fatigue  as  heretofore,  not  to  men- 
tion the  pleasing  anticipation  of  being  daily  enabled  to 
procure  plenty  of  food. 

On  the  6th  of  June  I  went  out  very  early  with  my  gun, 
but  finding  no  game,  picked  some  handfuls  of  keesletya  to 
make  soup  for  our  dinner  with  the  remaining  duck,  and 
returned  to  my  companions.  A  number  of  fine  trees  lay 
before  us  on  the  ground.  I  therefore  marked  out  those 
which  I  thought  best  suited  for  our  raft.  The  Cossack 
said  he  would  cut  them  whilst  I  should  go  out  in  search 
of  food,  so  that  we  all  might  be  enabled  to  work  the  fol- 
lowing morning,  and  leave  that  place  in  the  evening.  Al- 
though I  walked  a  considerable  distance  during  the  morn- 
ing, and  saw  a  deer  and  several  geese,  ducks,  and  gulls, 
they  were  all  so  wild  it  was  impossible  to  get  within  shot 
of  them.  I  returned,  quite  dejected  and  tired,  along  the 
banks  of  the  river,  seating  myself  in  the  bushes,  about  two 
hundred  yards  above  our  tent,  where  I  was  determined  to 
stay  and  shoot  something  to  afford  us  a  dinner  on  the  fol- 
lowing day.  It  was  not  long  before  a  gull  came  flying  over 
my  head.  I  shot  it,  and  shortly  after  a  fine  duck  that  fell 
into  the  river  just  before  me.  Leaning  on  my  gun,  I  pulled 
off  my  boots  in  order  to  wade  after  it.  Just  as  I  had  got 
them  off,  seeing  the  current  seizing  my  prize,  I  rushed  into 


30O  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1812. 

the  water,  fearful  of  losing  it,  and  forgetting  I  had  a  gun 
in  my  hand  until  I  was  out  of  my  depth  and  obliged  to 
swim.  The  weight  of  my  clothes  and  of  the  double-bar- 
relled fowling-piece  embarrassed  me  so  much  that  I  could 
not  keep  myself  above  water,  and,  sinking  several  times,  I 
was  at  length  obliged  to  let  go  my  favorite  gun,  and  even 
then  with  difficulty  kept  myself  from  sinking.  Luckily, 
some  bushes  grew  up  not  far  below  me,  having  their  tops 
above  the  water,  which  I  attained  and  laid  hold  of,  though 
I  still  found  myself  out  of  my  depth.  Here  the  duck  was 
entangled,  and  I  secured  it.  There  was  a  bush  for  every 
four  or  five  yards  between  me  and  the  shore,  and  I  swam 
from  one  to  another,  holding  the  duck  in  my  mouth,  and 
arriving  where  it  was  shallow  enough  to  wade  before  my 
friends  got  near  enough  to  aid  me.  I  regretted  exceed- 
ingly the  loss  of  a  gun  that  had  been  so  useful,  but  we  had 
two  remaining  which  were  sufficient  for  our  purpose.  On 
the  7th  we  all  labored  hard  to  finish  our  raft,  as  we  had 
food  for  that  day,  and  were  to  trust  to  our  good  stars  to 
furnish  us  on  the  following.  I  employed  myself  in  cutting 
down  immediately  two  large  dead  trees  for  the  side-pieces  ; 
and  before  two  o'clock  in  the  day  we  had  all  the  timbers 
well  lashed  together,  and  the  raft  ready  to  be  launched  in 
the  water.  After  dinner  we  launched  our  raft,  which  to  our 
great  joy  did  not  swim  too  low,  and  proved  in  fact  every- 
thing that  we  could  have  wished.  It  was  composed  of 
fifteen  lower  timbers,  of  the  thickness  of  a  man's  thigh,  and 
about  sixteen  or  eighteen  feet  long,  two  cross-pieces  at 
each  end,  to  which  they  were  strongly  lashed  with  manilla 
rope  and  thongs,  and  a  layer  of  poles  and  bushes  placed 
above  all  to  sit  on.  Thus  prepared,  we  placed  our  bag- 
gage upon  it,  and  committed  ourselves  to  the  surface  of  a 
fine  large  river  with  a  current  running  at  the  rate  of  more 


I8l2.  LOST  IN  A    WILDERNESS.  30 1 

than  five  miles  an  hour.  Before  quitting  this  place  we  all 
returned  thanks  to  Heaven  in  the  most  solemn  manner  for 
having  conducted  us  thus  far  in  safety,  and  prayed  fer- 
vently for  a  continuation  of  the  Almighty  protection  we 
had  so  often  experienced.  We  soon  discovered  a  material 
difference  between  walking  and  our  present  method  of 
traveUing,  having  floated  at  our  ease,  before  nine  at  night, 
a  greater  distance  than  we  had  made  during  any  three 
days  before.  We  had  also  the  pleasure,  for  the  first  time, 
of  being  free  from  mosquitoes  and  gnats.  Just  before  we 
stopped  for  the  night  I  killed  a  fine  large  sheldrake  that 
came  flying  by.  I  determined  to  stop  every  night  at  ten 
or  eleven  o'clock,  and  start  again  at  four  in  the  morning, 
being  fearful  lest  during  the  twilight  we  might  run  foul  of 
rocks  or  trees  in  the  way,  and  injure  our  raft  so  as  to  oblige 
us  again  to  go  on  foot.  We  encamped  this  night  close  on 
the  bank  of  the  river  amongst  some  dry  grass,  and  not  far 
from  a  mountain  called  Sunkapskoy,  which  the  Cossack 
thought  he  knew  he  had  traversed  in  the  winter,  and  near 
to  which  was  a  Tongusee  tabboon.  Between  two  and 
three  in  the  morning  a  swan  came  floating  down  the  river. 
I  fired  at  it  with  my  rifle,  and  missed.  Seeing  it  fly  toward 
a  lake  at  the  back  of  the  tent,  where  we  heard  another  one, 
I  repaired  thither  and  got  a  shot  at  it  from  behind  a  bush, 
within  forty  or  fifty  yards.  The  bird  rose  and  flew  a  little 
way,  and  then  to  our  great  joy  fell  dead  in  the  middle  of 
the  lake.  The  Cossack,  tying  two  pieces  of  old  timber 
together  with  a  thong  he  had  in  his  pocket,  floated  him- 
self along  on  them,  and  brought  the  swan  safely  to  shore. 
This  stock  of  animal  food  put  the  whole  party  in  good 
spirits,  and  we  continued  our  route  on  the  raft,  finding  the 
current  increasing  every  hour,  and  promising  to  convey  us 
rapidly  to  the  ocean.     During  the  day  I  shot  another  swan 


302  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1812. 

and  a  duck.  We  soon  discovered  that  the  mountain  that 
the  Cossack  thought  he  knew  was  much  farther  from  the 
sea  than  he  imagined,  and  after  we  had  floated  near  it,  he 
did  not  recollect  any  of  the  country  around.  The  river 
was  extremely  crooked,  sometimes  carrying  us  west,  some- 
times east,  and  in  fact  to  all  points  of  the  compass.  On 
the  8th,  in  the  evening,  we  stopped  early,  and  had,  for  the 
first  time  since  we  left  the  mountain,  what  we  thought  a 
good  supper,  though  we  were  still  fearful  of  consuming 
meat  more  than  once  a  day,  the  wild  fowl  being  exces- 
sively shy  and  difficult  to  shoot. 

The  weather  became  so  raw  and  uncomfortable,  being 
accompanied  with  a  drizzling  rain,  that  we  stopped  earlier 
than  usual,  and  continued  to  halt  until  four  o'clock  in  the 
morning  of  the  loth,  when  we  proceeded  again,  though  a 
chill  fog  prevailed,  and  a  good  deal  of  wind.  We  had  a 
most  unpleasant  time,  but,  anxious  to  arrive  at  the  ocean, 
would  not  lie  by,  particularly  as  the  stream  had  increased 
in  rapidity,  and  now  hurried  us  along  with  considerable 
swiftness.  About  one  o'clock,  although  we  were  nearly  in 
the  middle  of  the  river,  which  was  here  upwards  of  a  verst 
wide,  we  were  suddenly  seized  by  a  whirlpool ;  and  in  spite 
of  our  utmost  efforts,  having  nothing  but  poles  to  guide 
the  raft,  were  drawn  violently  towards  the  left  bank,  and 
forced  under  some  large  trees,  which  had  been  undermined 
by  the  water,  and  hung  over  the  surface  of  the  stream,  the 
roots  still  holding  them  fast  to  the  shore.  I  saw  the  dan- 
ger to  which  we  were  exposed,  and  called  out  to  every  one 
to  lie  flat  on  his  face  and  hold  fast  to  the  baggage.  The 
branches  were  so  thick  it  was  impossible  for  all  to  escape, 
and  there  being  barely  room  to  admit  the  raft  under  them, 
they  swept  off  the  two  Chinese,  the  Karaikee,  my  tin  box 
with  all  my  papers  and  valuables,  our  soup-kettle,  etc.,  etc. 


I8i2.  LOST  IN  A    WILDERNESS. 


303 


Nothing  now  remained  but  a  small  tea-kettle  and  a  few 
other  things  that  happened  to  be  tied  fast  with  thongs. 
The  Karaikee  and  one  of  the  Chinese  seized  hold  of  the 
branches  that  swept  them  off,  and  held  their  heads  above 
water,  but  the  youngest  of  the  Chinese  having  floated  away 
with  the  current,  the  Cossack  and  myself  had  the  greatest 
difficulty  in  paddling  the  raft  up  to  him.  We  came  just 
in  time  to  poke  our  poles  down  after  him  as  he  sank  for 
the  third  time.  Fortunately  he  seized  it,  and  we  drew 
him  upon  the  raft  half  drowned.  As  the  current  was  run- 
ning at  the  rate  of  six  or  seven  miles  an  hour,  we  were 
carried  more  than  half  a  verst  down  before  we  gained  the 
shore.  The  other  Chinese  and  the  Karaikee  crying  out 
aloud  for  assistance,  I  ran  up  the  shore  as  quickly  as  I 
could,  taking  a  long  pole  with  me,  and  leaving  the  Cos- 
sack to  take  care  of  the  raft  and  the  young  Chinese. 
When  I  arrived  at  the  spot  my  Chinese  cook  informed  me 
he  had  seized  my  tin  box  with  one  hand,  and  was  so  tired 
of  holding  with  the  other  that,  if  I  did  not  come  soon  to 
his  assistance,  he  must  leave  it  to  the  mercy  of  the  current. 
Whilst  I  attempted  to  walk  out  on  the  body  of  the  tree, 
whose  branches  they  were  holding,  one  of  the  roots  broke, 
and  very  nearly  separated  it  from  the  shore.  I  was  there- 
fore obliged  to  jump  off*  and  stride  to  one  that  was  two 
feet  under  water,  hauling  myself  along  by  the  branches  of 
the  others,  and  at  length  I  got  near  enough  to  give  the 
Chinese  a  pole.  He  seized  fast  hold,  and  I  pulled  him 
between  two  branches,  enabling  him  to  get  a  leg  over  one, 
and  keep  his  body  above  water.  Thus  placed,  he  tied  the 
tin  box  with  his  handkerchief  to  the  pole,  and  I  got  it 
safely  ashore.  I  was  now  obliged  to  return  and  assist  the 
Karaikee,  who  held  by  some  branches  far  out,  and  where 
there  were  no  others  near  enough  for  him  to  reach,  in 


304  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  18 1 2. 

order  to  draw  himself  in.  After  half  an  hour's  labor  I 
got  them  both  on  the  bank,  neither  of  them  knowing 
how  to  swim,  and  both  much  exhausted  by  the  cold  and 
the  difficulty  of  holding  so  long  against  a  rapid  current. 
As  the  wind  commenced  blowing  very  hard,  we  concluded 
to  stay  all  that  day  where  we  were,  it  being  likewise  neces- 
sary to  dry  our  clothes,  papers,  etc.,  which  were  all  com- 
pletely wet. 

In  the  afternoon  the  wind  died  away,  and  the  sun  shone 
out  clear,  when  I  commenced  drying  my  papers,  and 
found  many  of  the  most  valuable  of  them  totally  ruined. 
The  ink  in  some  was  quite  effaced,  and  others  were  so 
stuck  together  that  they  were  destroyed  in  my  attempting 
to  separate  them.  At  six  in  the  evening  we  made  an  ex- 
cursion along  the  banks  of  the  river,  to  see  if  we  could 
discover  any  of  the  things  we  had  lost,  and  kill  some  game. 
In  our  rambles  we  frightened  a  duck  from  off  her  nest, 
and  got  six  eggs.  Shortly  after  I  killed  a  swan  with  my 
rifle,  and  the  poor  Karaikee  going  for  it,  had  the  pleasure 
to  find  his  bundle  of  clothes  that  had  been  swept  from  the 
raft.  We  had  lost  nearly  all  our  cooking  utensils  :  fortu- 
nately our  spoons  and  cups  were  in  our  pockets.  A  small 
tea-kettle  without  a  cover  had  to  serve  for  every  purpose. 
The  top  of  my  tin  box  we  employed  as  a  dish,  pouring  our 
soup  into  it  that  we  might  eat  it  more  conveniently  with 
our  spoons.  We  felt  severely  the  loss  of  our  soup-kettle, 
being  obliged  to  make  our  dinner  and  drink  our  tea  from 
the  same  vessel.  In  consequence  of  the  high  wind  that 
prevailed,  and  its  being  quite  unsafe  for  our  frail  bark  to 
proceed,  we  remained  here  until  four  o'clock  in  the  after- 
noon of  the  nth,  when  we  departed,  though  it  was  still 
blowing  hard,  with  drizzling  rain,  making  the  weather  quite 
cold  and  uncomfortable.     We  became  so  wet  and  chilled 


i8i2.  LOST  IN  A    WILDERNESS.  305 

that  we  stopped  early  in  the  evening.  We  left  our  resting 
place  between  four  and  five  on  the  12  th,  with  a  rapid  cur- 
rent that  conveyed  us  swiftly  along.  About  mid-day  we 
espied  a  Tongusee  canoe  hung  up  between  two  trees,  and 
the  appearance  of  some  wood  freshly  cut  made  me  imme- 
diately push  for  the  shore,  inspired  with  the  hope  of  find- 
ing there  some  inhabitants.  In  this  expectation  we  were 
disappointed,  though  there  was  every  appearance  of  per- 
sons having  visited  the  spot  but  a  short  time  before.  We 
were  not  a  Uttle  overjoyed  to  find  the  canoe  with  paddles 
and  everything  complete.  Our  raft  was  much  water- 
soaked  and  swimming  deep,  and  without  the  canoe  we 
should  have  been  obliged  to  remain  a  day  somewhere  in 
order  to  repair  it,  and  put  some  additional  logs  to  make  it 
float  higher.  The  canoe  we  now  lashed  to  one  side,  put 
the  Karaikee  in  one  end  and  the  Cossack  in  the  other, 
with  a  considerable  portion  of  our  baggage,  and  lightened 
the  raft,  so  that  it  swam  as  high  as  we  could  wish.  We 
found  those  two  persons  with  their  paddles  could  turn  it 
more  quickly  and  better  than  all  five  of  us  had  been  able 
to  do  with  poles. 

We  now  floated  on  a  fine,  deep,  and  wide  river,  and, 
though  extremely  crooked,  beautiful  beyond  conception, 
winding  down  amongst  romantic  mountains  and  through 
large  bodies  of  rich  lowlands,  interspersed  with  lakes,  rivu- 
lets, and  meadows  covered  with  fine  grass.  It  appeared  a 
matter  of  surprise  to  me  that  so  fine  a  stream,  apparently 
possessing  abundance  of  game  and  fish,  should  be  entirely 
destitute  of  neighboring  inhabitants.  We  saw  numbers  of 
fish  constantly  playing  about  us,  and  contrived  a  hook 
with  a  small  nail,  but  had  not  the  good  fortune  to  catch 
any  of  them.  The  current  seemed  to  increase  as  we 
descended,  and  we  set  ofl"  before  four  on  the  13th  to  take 

20 


306  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  1812. 

advantage  of  it.  About  ten  o'clock  I  discovered  a  jourta 
not  far  from  the  edge  of  the  left  bank,  and  casting  off  the 
canoe  despatched  the  Cossack  and  Karaikee  to  examine 
it.  They  soon  returned,  informing  me  it  was  a  winter 
jourta  of  the  Tongusees,  but  was  then  quite  deserted,  and 
that  there  was  not  the  smallest  appearance  of  inhabitants 
anywhere  near.  The  day  was  hot  and  calm,  and  our  visit 
to  the  shore  brought  off  to  us  a  swarm  of  mosquitoes  that 
pestered  us  continually,  —  an  annoyance  we  had  not  ex- 
perienced for  some  days  previously  in  consequence  of  the 
wind  and  rain.  My  companions  often  complained  of  not 
having  meat  enough,  and  seemed  displeased  at  my  dealing 
it  out  sparingly.  This  was,  however,  absolutely  necessary 
by  reason  of  the  difificulty  of  killing  game,  for  we  per- 
ceived that  as  we  descended  the  river  became  wider,  and 
the  water-fowl  scarcer  and  more  difficult  of  approach; 
besides  which  it  was  quite  uncertain  whether  we  should 
meet  inhabitants  at  the  sea-coast,  and  perhaps,  when  there, 
we  might  again  find  game  scarce  and  difficult  to  shoot. 
On  the  14th  the  current  increased  in  rapidity  to  such  a 
degree  that  it  cost  us  considerable  pain  and  labor  to  guide 
our  raft  in  safety,  and  we  felt  grateful  to  Heaven  for  hav- 
ing fallen  with  the  canoe,  without  which  we  could  never 
have  descended  this  part  of  the  river  on  so  frail  a  vehicle. 
We  ran  aground  three  or  four  times,  and  twice  got 
entangled  in  the  trees  that  hung  over  the  stream,  but  for- 
tunately escaped  without  accident.  Perceiving  a  very 
dangerous  place  just  below  us,  and  being  too  near  the 
shore  to  prevent  the  raft's  being  drawn  into  the  whirlpool, 
we  pulled  in  and  landed  on  the  bank  immediately  oppo- 
site to  us.  We  then  dragged  the  raft  up  for  about  a  hun- 
dred yards,  assisted  by  the  counter  current  that  generally 
prevails  near  the  edge  of  a  stream.    By  this  precaution 


i8l2.  LOST  IN  A    WILDERNESS.  307 

we  got  nigh  enough  to  be  able  to  make  an  offing  sufficient 
to  prevent  being  thrown  upon  another  dangerous  place 
we  had  seen  below,  composed  of  fallen  trees,  roots,  etc., 
thrown  up  like  an  island,  over  which  the  water  foamed  in 
a  cataract.  Not  long  after  we  had  landed  I  observed  the 
Karaikee  examining  with  great  attention  the  spot  where 
we  were  and  the  surrounding  mountains,  and  at  length  he 
began  to  pray  and  to  cross  himself  with  great  fervency,  the 
tears  running  down  his  cheeks  in  a  stream.  I  approached 
him  to  inquire  the  cause  of  his  emotion,  when  he  ex- 
claimed :  "  That  is  our  mountain ;  our  village  is  not  far 
off",  for  on  this  spot  I  caught  some  hares  last  winter.  I 
know  that  we  are  now  not  far  from  Grebay,  a  small  Yakut 
village  on  the  sea-coast,  at  the  mouth  of  the  river,  which 
is  called  Cowvah,  and  only  twenty  versts  from  Towinsk. 
But  a  short  distance  below  this  is  the  branch  on  which 
Towinsk  stands,  emptying  itself  into  the  bay,  about  ten 
versts  higher  up,  and  if  it  had  been  earlier  in  the  season 
we  might  have  descended  it  with  a  raft,  but  I  perceive  the 
water  is  now  too  low  to  attempt  it." 

It  will  be  easier  for  my  readers  to  imagine  than  for  me 
to  express  the  joy  we  all  experienced  at  this  cheering 
news.  We  boiled  our  kettle  and  made  all  the  meat  we 
had  into  soup,  determined  to  have  a  feast  after  such  a 
long  term  of  short  allowance.  This,  however,  was  only  a 
comparative  feast,  as  our  whole  stock  amounted  to  a  third 
of  a  swan  and  a  teal.  Our  repast  finished  we  pushed  off 
our  raft  with  great  spirits,  paddling  with  all  our  strength  to 
obtain  the  midway  channel  and  avoid  the  dangers  which, 
like  Scylla  and  Charybdis,  threatened  us  on  either  hand. 
The  current  ran  at  the  rate  of  eight  or  nine  knots  an  hour 
in  turbulent  eddies  that  twisted  us  round  and  round,  in 
spite  of  our  best  exertions.     We  had,  however,  the  good 


308  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  i8l2. 

fortune  to  escape  unhurt,  but  afterwards  ran  aground 
several  times,  and  with  great  difficulty  got  the  raft  off  (by 
all  jumping  into  the  water)  and  that  not  without  injuring 
it  materially.  Between  two  and  three  o'clock  in  the  after- 
noon we  found  ourselves  in  a  fine  wide  channel,  with  a 
moderate  current,  and  on  the  beach,  not  far  below  us, 
descried  a  man  and  two  boys  mending  a  canoe.  The 
effect  the  sight  of  human  beings  had  upon  us  is  not  to  be 
described.  Every  soul  shed  tears  of  joy,  and  when  these 
people  approached  with  their  canoe  to  assist  us  it  was 
impossible  to  resist  the  impulse,  or  to  answer  their  ques- 
tions. Our  tears  flowed  in  streams,  and  we  were  all  so 
unmanned  we  could  only  reply  to  them  by  signs.  The 
elder  person  proved  to  be  a  Yakut,  whom  I  had  known 
when  I  passed  before.  This  good  Yakut,  when  he  recog- 
nized me,  jumped  upon  the  raft,  clasped  me  in  his  arms, 
and  shed  tears  in  abundance^  exclaiming,  "  Thank  God  ! 
Thank  God  !  you  are  all  saved."  He  informed  me  that 
the  Tongusees  having  confessed  their  leaving  us  on  the 
mountain,  the  old  chief,  living  near  to  Towinsk,  had  de- 
spatched his  son,  with  twenty-five  head  of  reindeer,  in 
search  of  us,  and  that  every  one  there  had  given  us  up 
for  lost,  knowing  how  difficult  it  was  to  procure  food  on 
those  deserted  plains  and  mountains  in  the  spring  of  the 
year. 

On  inquiry  we  found  that  had  we  taken  any  other  route 
than  the  one  we  came  we  must  inevitably  have  perished  ! 


"Dear  Uncle  Fritz,"  said  Alice,  shivering,  "did  any- 
thing as  bad  as  that  ever  happen  to  you? " 

"  Not  for  so  many  days,"  said  he,  patting  her  shoulder 


I88l.  AT  THE  SUPPER   TABLE.  309 

as  they  walked  into  supper.  "  But  I  have  eaten  smoked 
salmon  cold  with  more  appetite  than  I  now  have  for 
Ellen's  hot  muffins." 

When  they  were  seated  at  the  table,  and  the  decom- 
position of  the  muffins  had  begun,  Bob  Edmeston  fol- 
lowed up  what  Alice  had  said. 

"  You  see,  Alice,"  said  he,  "  that  the  excitement  of  dis- 
covery carries  men  on.  For  me,  I  mourn  that  nothing  is 
left  unknown  for  the  explorers  of  this  age." 

They  all  laughed  at  his  melancholy,  and  Philip  asked 
him  what  was  the  source  of  Mink  Brook,  and  Laura  if  he 
would  tell  her  where  the  water  of  the  Shannock  factories 
emptied  into  the  sea. 

"I  will  not  be  bullied,"  said  Bob.  "I  do  not  know 
these  things  because  my  education  has  been  neglected. 
But,  alas  !  some  one  knows  them.  They  are  on  the  map 
of  Rhode  Island.  What  I  thirst  for  is  the  unknown,  yet 
not  unknowable.  Alas  !  the  discoverers  have  wrested  this 
from  me." 

"  Not  at  all,"  said  Uncle  Fritz.  '*  You  have  only  to  ask 
at  the  Public  Library  for  the  Journal  of  the  Geographical 
Society,  or  the  Bulletin  de  la  Geographic,  and  you  will 
see  that  there  is  as  good  discovery  as  ever  going  on  to- 
day." 

"One  comes  to  love  these  explorers,"  said  Bertha. 
"  Here  I  never  heard  of  your  Mr.  Dobell's  wife  nor  chil- 
dren nor  home  ;  but  I  have  been  crying,  without  knowing 
it,  because  he  was  so  hungry." 

Fergus  said,  rather  seriously,  that  we  always  sympathized 
with  men  who  gave  themselves  for  an  idea.  It  might  be 
obedience  to  an  Emperor,  it  might  be  the  source  of  a 
river,  —  we  were  always  glad  to  follow  a  man  in  propor- 
tion as  he  was  unselfish. 


310  STORIES  OF  ADVENTURE.  i88l. 

Bob  Edmeston,  without  going  into  the  philosophy  of 
the  thing,  said  there  were  lots  of  interesting  books  on  the 
shelf  the  Dobell  volumes  came  from. 

So  there  are,  and  so  it  happens  that  the  next  volume 
of  this  series  will  be 


STORIES  OF  DISCOVERY  TOLD  BY  DISCOVERERS. 


INDEX. 


Abbott,  Jacob,  io. 

Acre,  50;  Siege  of,  71,  81;  assault 
on  the  town,  83 ;  arrival  of  Rich- 
ard I.,  89 ;  surrender  of  Acre,  97 ; 
heroic  incidents  of  siege,  87,  88, 

93,  94- 
Adams,  John  Quincy,  256;  memoirs 

of,  256. 
Adventures,  Captain  Bonneville's, 

256. 
Albany,  156. 
Aleppo,  66. 
Algonquins,  the,  143, 157,  158,  159, 

160. 
Alpine  Club,  8,  9. 
Apaches,  the,  158. 
"Arabian    Nights,"    31;    Lane's 

translation  of,  31,  32. 
Astoria,  256. 
Athapescans,  the,  158. 
Aurora  Borealis,  170. 

Balbeck,  66. 

Bancroft's  History  of  the  United 
States,  157. 

Beaver,  the,  170-178;  habitat  of, 
170, 171 ;  dams  of,  described,  172; 
beaver-houses,  173,  174;  absurd 
stories  concerning,  175;  hunting 
the  beaver,  177,  178. 

Bertrandon  de  la  Brocquifere,  45; 
joins  the  Crusaders,  46;  their 
route,  46 ;  travelling  in  the  desert, 
47;  reaches  Gaza,  48;  pilgrim- 
age to  Nazareth,  49;  the  town  of 
Acre,  50;  gardens  of  Jaffa,  51; 


in  Damascus,  52;  Baruth,  53; 
Mount  Tabor,  55;  description  of 
a  caravan,  58;  the  shrine  of  Mo- 
hammed, 59;  Damascus  blades, 
61 ;  Turkish  customs,  65,  66, 
67,  68. 

Bethlehem,  34. 

Blue  Hills,  tlie,  8,  9. 

Bohn's  Library,  ^3^  45,  71. 

Bryant's  History  of  the  United 
States,  127, 

Buffalo-hunt,  a,  273,  274. 

Cabots,  the,  102,  135. 

California,  origin  of  the  name,  102. 

Canary  Islands,  the,  188-193. 

Caravan,  description  of,  58. 

Casa  Grande,  135. 

"Cat,"  a,  93. 

Cathay,  the  Chan  of,  37-43. 

Cevola,  130,  131, 132,  133,  134,  136. 

Charles  V.,  Emperor  of  Germany, 
103. 

Chataubriand,  Frangois,  Vicomte 
de,  255. 

Clements,  Alberic,  death  of,  93,  94. 

Cleveland,  Captain,  early  history 
of,  221,  222;  buys  a  packet  boat 
in  Havre,  and  starts  out  to  see 
the  world,  221 ;  his  first  crew,  221 ; 
some  novel  experimenting  with 
the  compass,  224, 225 ;  a  Prussian 
grenadier,  225,  226;  a  group 
worthy  of  Hogarth,  226;  ad- 
venture with  an  English  frigate, 
227 ;  encounter  with  a  privateer. 


312 


INDEX. 


228,  229 ;  arrives  at  Cape  of  Good 
Hope,  231 ;  is  suspected  of  being 
a  spy,  232 ;  further  difficulties 
encountered,  233-236;  sells  ves- 
sel and  cargo,  236,  238  ;  a  voyage 
in  South  American  waters,  238  ; 
arrives  at  Valparaiso,  238 ;  diffi- 
culty with  the  Spanish  Governor, 
239,  240;  arrested,  243;  further 
hostilities,  244-246  ;  boarding  the 
Hazard,  246,  247 ;  calls  on  the 
Governor,  248-250;  final  leave- 
taking.  251,  252;  Captain  Cleve- 
land at  sixty-seven  concerning 
himself,  237,  255. 

Cleveland's  Travels,  220,  221 ;  opin- 
ion of  his  book,  237;  extracts 
from,  221-237,  238-252. 

Columbia  River,  discovery  of,  255. 

Columbus,  Christopher,  t^t^  ioi, 
102. 

Conversation,  Uncle  Fritz's  rules 
for,  9. 

Coronado,  Vasquez  de,  expedition 
of,  128,  129,  135;  discovery  of 
the  Gila  River ;  Casa  Grande, 
135;  Civola,  136,  137;  descrip- 
tion of  the  country,  and  its 
people,  136-139. 

Cortez,  Hernando,  loi,  102,  103; 
extracts  from  letters  of,  103-125  ; 
attack  on  colony  of,  at  Vera 
Cruz,  104;  uprising  in  city  of 
Mexico,  104,  105,  106;  Monte- 
zuma, attempting  to  pacify  the 
Indians,  is  wounded  to  death, 
106;  Cortez  retreats  to  Tacuba, 
115;  is  defeated  at  Tacuba  and 
Indian  allies  are  slain,  116,  117; 
again  retreats,  117,  118;  Cortez 
as  an  explorer,  118-125. 

Cow-tree,  the,  204. 

Crusaders,  the,  45-6S;  the  Third 
Crusade,  71-100. 

Cyprus,  taking  of,  90. 

Dakotahs,  the,  263-269. 
Damascus,  51,  52  ;  blades  of,  61. 


Dana,  Richard  Henry,  237. 

Defoe,  Daniel,  185. 

Dobell,  Peter,  travels  of,  277-308. 

Electrical  eels,  method  of  fish- 
ing for,  208,  209. 

Eliot,  John,  Apostle  to  the  Indians, 
158. 

Ephrata,  see  Bethlehem. 

Fra  Marco,  127;  a  prince  of 
liars,  129;  his  remarkable  ac- 
count of  the  country  he  explored, 
129-135 ;  Coronado's  opinion  of 
Fra  Marco,  136. 

Frederic  Barbarossa,  73,  74,  'JT^']^'., 
tragic  death  of,  79,  80. 

Fulton,  Robert,  256. 

Gay's  History,  j<7<f  Bryant's  His- 
tory of  the  United  States. 
Gila  River,  135. 
Goeffrey  of  Vinsauf,  69,  71. 
Goupil,  Rene,  144,  145,  146,  147. 
Greek  fire,  85. 
Guy,  King  of  Jerusalem,  80. 

Hakluyt,  quoted,  129. 

Hazard,  the,  239 ;  seizure  of  246, 
247. 

Hearne's  Travels,  159, 160;  extract 
from,  160-183. 

Henry  II.  of  England,  72,  89. 

Hudson's  Bay  Company,  1S4. 

Humboldt,  Alexander,  early  history 
of,  184,  185;  Travels  of,  1X5; 
visits  Washington,  185;  extract 
from  his  own  account  of  his  travels, 
187;  his  fondness  for   the  sea, 

187  ;  love  of  Nature,  18S  ;  plans 
to  study  the  Western  Continent, 

188  ;  arrives  at  the  Canaries, 
188  ;  the  volcanoes  of  Teneriffe, 
1S9-192  ;  Orotava,  192;  flocks  of 
canaries,  192,  193;  the  Southern 
Cross,  193,  194;  Manzanares, 
the,  194;  bathing  in,  195  ;  pearl- 
oysters  of  the  South   American 


INDEX. 


313 


coast,  195;  South  American 
scenery,  impressive  character  of, 
197  ;  Caripe,  convent  of,  199; 
preaching  to  the  Indians,  199  ; 
Cumana,  200,  201  ;  encounter 
with  an  Indian,  201,  202;  aro- 
matic shrubs,  203  ;  the  cow-tree, 
204  ;  howling  monkeys,  205,  206  ; 
a  search  for  drinking-water,  206, 
207  ;  electrical  eels,  208;  croco- 
diles, 209;  jaguars,  210,  211; 
a  primitive  South  American 
grandee,  211-213;  a  midnight 
concert  in  the  forest,  214  ;  the 
Land  Beyond  the  Great  Cataracts, 
216-217;  interlocked  rivers,  218- 
219. 
Hurons,  the,  142,  143,  144,  145, 
146,  149,  150. 

Indians,  division  into  families,  157, 
158,  159;  dialects  of,  compared, 
158,  159  ;  Indians  of  the  North, 
162,  163,  164,  165,  166,  167,  168, 
169,  181,  182,  183;  an  Indian 
Robinson  Crusoe,  178,  179,  180. 

Iroquois,  the,  142,  143,  144,  145, 
146,  147,  148,  149,  150,  152,  153, 

154,  157- 
Irving,  Washington,  256. 
Itinerary  of  Richard  I.,  71 ;  extract 

from,  71-100 

Jaguar,  the,  210,  211. 

Jefferson,  Thomas,  185,  252,  254. 

Jesuits,  Society  of,  141,  142. 

Jogues,  Father  Isaac,  142;  sent  as 
missonary  to  New  France,  142 ; 
travels  to  Quebec,  143 ;  home- 
ward journey,  143;  is  attacked 
by  hostile  Iroquois,  and  captured, 
143,  144 ;  capture  of  Ren6  Gou- 
pil,  145 ;  suffers  the  most  cruel 
tortures,  145,146,  147;  captivity, 
148,  149,  150  ;  his  escape  is 
planned,  151  ;  escapes,  and  is 
concealed  on  a  ship  bound  for 
France,    152,    153;    voluntarily 


gives  himself  up,  T54;  release 
from  captivity,  154;  Dutch 
Governor  makes  terms  with  the 
Iroquois,  154;  Massacre  at 
Schenectady,  155,  156. 

Kamtchadales,  the,  282,  283. 

Kamchatka,  Dobell's  travels  in, 
277 ;  the  Kamtchadales,  2S2,  283  ; 
Prince  Zachar,  283  ;  the  reindeer, 
284;  sleeping  in  the  snow,  285  ; 
sleighing  in  May,  287 ;  among 
the  mountains,  290;  lost  in  a 
wilderness,  294-308. 

Kublai  Khan,  15,  19-26. 

Lady  Oliver  House,  7. 

Lewis  and  Clarke,  expedition  of, 
255,  258. 

Loadstone,  35,  36. 

Long,  Major  S.  H.,  257 ;  commands 
government-expedition  to  the 
Northwest,  258  ;  route  ordered, 
258;  object  of  journey,  259;  relics 
of  the  mound-builders,  259-263  ; 
meets  with  Dakota  Indians,  263- 
265  ;  Indian  banquets,  266,  267; 
speech  of  the  Chief,  268,  269; 
encounter  with  hostiles,  269-273 ; 
a  buffalo-hunt,  273,  274. 

Mandeville,  Sir  John,  10,  31; 

travels   of,    31 ;    sources   of    his 

tales,  32 ;  selections  from,  34-43 ; 

why  Sir  John  did  not  tell  about 

Paradise,  43,  44. 
Manhattan,  154. 
Manzanares,  the,  194,  195. 
Mecca,  58,  59. 

Mendoga,  Don  Antonio  de,  128, 133. 
Minnesota,  state  of,  256,  257. 
Mississippi,  source  of,  257. 
Mohammed,  shrine  of,  59. 
Montezuma,  106;  children  of,  114, 

117. 
Moorish  feast,  a,  53. 
Moose-hunting,  180,  181. 
Moquis,  the,  famed  for  their  cakes, 

139,  140. 


314 


INDEX. 


Narvaez,  expedition  of,  129,  255. 
New  York,  province  of,  156. 
Nolan,  Philip,  254. 
Northwest,  the,  253-274. 

Ohio,  mounds  of,  260-263. 

Oregon,  claim  to,  255. 

Oregon  trail,  the,  256. 

Orinoco,  the,  206,  207,  216,  217, 

218,  219. 
Orotava,  189,  192,  193. 

Parkman,  Francis,  142,  256. 

Peabody  Museum,  the,  127. 

Petrariae^  91,  92,  95. 

Philip,  Duke  of  Burgundy,  45. 

Philip  II.  of  France,  72,  90,91,  93. 

Pizarro,  Gonzalo,  103. 

Plutarch's  Lives,  70. 

Polo,  Marco,  10,  11;  Col.  Yule's 
edition  of,  11,  30;  Irving's  ac- 
count of,  11;  his  father  and  his 
uncle,  voyages  of,  11,  12;  the 
Great  Khan,  12;  Marco  Polo  sets 
out  on  his  travels,  12;  return 
after  twenty-four  years,  12;  re- 
ception to  his  countrymen,  13 ; 
is  taken  prisoner,  13;  begins  to 
write  the  story  of  his  wanderings, 
14,  15,  16;  Persia  and  the  Three 
Wise  Men,  16,  17,  18;  Cublay 
Khan,  19;  the  rebellion  of  Nay  an, 
20;  Caidu,  20;  battle  between 
Nayan  and  the  Khan,  22,  23; 
Nayan's  defeat  and  surrender,  24. 

Post-houses,  26-29,  102. 

Post-houses  in  Tartary,  26-29. 

Pottery,  Indian,  127,  128. 

Pueblos,  128,  129,  132,  136,  137. 

Richard  I.  of  England,  72 ;  land- 
ing of,  at  Acre,  89 ;  joins  forces 
with  the  King  of  France,  90,  91, 
92,  99 ;  Turkish  estimate  of,  99, 
100. 

Rio  Negro,  219. 

Robinson    Crusoe,    185,  275 ;    the 


New,  185,  186;  further  advent- 
ures of,  276,  277. 

Roses,  origin  of,  34. 

Royal  Mendicant,  story  of,  35. 

St.  Paul,  Vision  of,  53. 
Saladin,  71,  74,  75,  ^^,  80,  82,  83, 

95,  96,  99. 
Schenectady,    155,    156;    massacre 

at,   155;    early  American  ballad 

about  the  massacre,  155,  156. 
Siberia,  275  ;  a  Siberian  snowstorm, 

278,   279;    Siberian    hospitality, 

279-281. 
Sindbad  the  Sailor,  Fifth  Voyage 

of,  36, 
Six  Nations,  the,  see  Iroquois. 
South  America,  travels  in,  187-219. 
Southern  Cross,  the,  193,  194. 
Spanish  claims,  239. 

Tabor,  Mount,  55. 

Talisman,  the,  70,  71. 

Tamerlane,  52. 

Tartars,  the,  40,  41. 

Teneriffe,  volcano  of,  188,  189;  the 

ascent  of  the  Peak,  189-192. 
Terrestrial  Paradise,  37,  44. 
Three  Wise  Men,  the,  16,  17,  i8. 
Tobolsk,  277. 
Turks,  manners  and  customs  of, 

65,  66,  67,  68;  valor  of,  94,  95, 

96,  99. 
Tyre,  81,  84,85;  archbishop  of,  72. 

United  States,  northern  bound- 
ary of,  256,  257. 

Verrazzani,  102. 
Vesuvius,  Mount,  191,  192. 
Vicar  of  Wakefield,  69. 

Washington,  government  reports 

published  at,  256. 
Washington,  Mount,  69. 
Watts,  Isaac,  253. 
World,  early  maps  of,  loi,  102. 


Stories  of  War^  the  Sea^  Adventufe» 
Discovery^  and  Inventions 

Collected  and  Edited  by 

EDWARD    EVERETT   HALE 

Author  of  **Thc  Man  Without  a  Country/*  etc. 

Stories  of  War.     Told  by  Soldiers.    i6mo.    Cloth.   $i.oo. 

These  stories  of  great  battles  of  the  Civil  War  told  by  soldiers  in- 
clude Bull  Run,  Forts  Henry  and  Donelson,  the  Peninsula  Campaign, 
Antietam,  Pittsburg  Landing,  Vicksburg,  Gettysburg,  Chicamauga, 
Chattanooga,  the  Wilderness  Campaign,  Sherman's  March,  and  the 
Siege  of  Richmond. 

Stories  of  the  Sea*   Told  by  Sailors.    i6mo.  Cloth.  $i.oo. 
These  stories  of  great  voyages  told  by  sailors  include  Columbus* 
return,  the  Spanish  Armada,  the  voyages  of  Alexander  Selkirk  and 
Paul  Jones,  Nelson  at  Trafalgar,  and  a  chapter  on  shipwrecks. 

Stories  of  Adventure*   Told  by  Adventurers.   New  edition. 
Illustrated.     i2mo.     Cloth.     ;?i.25. 

This  new  edition  contains  vivid  accounts  of  the  adventures  of  Marco 
Polo,  Mandeville,  Cortez,  Coronando,  the  Jesuits,  Humboldt,  etc., 
illustrated  with  valuable  portraits  and  pictures. 

Stories  of  Discovery*    Told  by  Discoverers.    New  edition. 
Illustrated.      i2mo.     Cloth.     ^1.25. 

These  stories  of  great  discoverers  told  by  discoverers  are  now  for 
the  first  time  illustrated.  Included  in  the  book  are  the  discoveries  of 
Columbus,  Da  Gama,  Magalhaens,  Drake,  Verrazzano,  Gilbert,  Gos- 
noll,  John  Smith,  Carteret,  Matavai,  etc.  Describes  the  search  for 
the  North  West  Passage. 

Stories  of  Invention*     Told  by  Inventors.     i6mo.     Cloth. 
Price,  ^i.oo. 

The  stories  of  great  inventors  told  by  inventors  include  the 
inventions  of  Archimedes,  Friar  Bacon,  Cellini,  Palissy,  PVanklin, 
Edgeworth,  Watt,  Fulton,  Stephenson,  Whitney,  Nasmyth,  Bessemer, 
and  Goodyear.  Valuable  hints  are  given  as  to  using  reference  books 
and  doing  original  research. 

LITTLE,    BROWN,    AND    COMPANY,   Publishers 
254  WASHINGTON  STREET,  BOSTON,  MASS. 


The  Man  Without  a  Country 

BY 

EDWARD  EVERETT  HALE 


New  Edition*  With  a  preface  giving  an  account  of  the 
circumstances  and  incidents  of  its  publication,  and  a 
new  introduction  by  the  author  in  the  year  of  the  war 
with  Spain.     i6mo.     Cloth.     50  cents. 

Illustrated  Edition*  With  forty  pictures  by  Frank  T. 
Merrill.     Square  8vo.     Cloth.     75  cents. 

The  Story  of  the  Man  without  a  Country  will  be  remem- 
bered and  read  as  long  as  the  American  flag  flies,  and  it  will 
continue  to  do  good  to  successive  generations  of  young 
Americans.  .  .  .  What  a  splendid  work  of  imagination  and 
patriotism  that  story  is  !  Its  theme  is  vital,  and  consequently 
its  influence  is  perennial.  —  New  York  Sun  {^Editorial), 

It  is  so  full  of  a  lofty  patriotism,  so  full  of  subtle  sug- 
gestions that  would  mean  nothing  to  a  foreigner  but  that 
move  our  hearts  strangely,  that  to  read  it  is  to  grow  prouder 
than  ever  of  the  country  and  the  flag.  —  Cincinnati  Com- 
mercial  Gazette. 


The  moral  of  the  story  may  be  found  in  Nolan's  own  pitiful 
words  to  a  young  sailor:  •*  And  for  your  country,  boy,  and  for  that 
flag,  never  ciream  a  dream  but  of  servmg  her  as  she  bids  you,  though 
the  service  carry  you  through  a  thousand  hells.  No  matter  what 
happens  to  you,  no  matter  who  flatters  you  or  who  abuses  you,  never 
look  at  another  flag,  never  let  a  night  pass  but  you  pray  God  to  bless 
that  flag.  Remember,  boy,  that  behind  all  these  men  you  have  to  do 
with,  behind  officers  and  government  and  people  even,  there  is  the 
country  herself,  your  country,  and  that  you  belong  to  her  as  you 
belong  to  your  own  mother. 


LITTLE,   BROWN,   ^   COMPANY,   Publishers 
254   WASHINGTON    STREET,    BOSTON,   MASS. 


pl^' 


THIS  BOOK  IS  DUE  ON  THE  LAST  DATE 
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THIS  BOOK  ON  THE  DATE  DUE.  THE  PENALTY 
WILL  INCREASE  TO  SO  CENTS  ON  THE  FOURTH 
DAY  AND  TO  $1.00  ON  THE  SEVENTH  DAY 
OVERDUE. 


AUG   S  1943 


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